A Glitch in the System
by Quinis
Summary: Through the magic of SCIENCE! Saito Hikari's body never really died. He was just in a coma while his parents waited for a cure. Until then, Dr Hikari was fine with syncing his consciousness with the netnavi RockmanEXE. But, the cure for HBD is here now and it's time for Saito to wake up.
1. Chapter 1

**Notes:** I think anyone following my RockmanEXE/MegamanEXE fanfics has noticed a pattern. Oh well, I'm inspired to write stuff where Rockman tries being Saito for a while so I'm going to write this stuff. The idea this story comes from is one where Saito 'survived' and what Dr Hikari did was hook him up to life support and transfer his brainwaves into Rockman. But there's a cure for HBD now so Dr Hikari reluctantly puts Saito under the knife in order to cure him and let him finally live. Except no one told Netto or Rockman about this. I like this idea too much not to write it.

* * *

 **Ch** **apter 1**

* * *

Dr Hikari signed the forms. Haruka Hikari's grip on his arm was both painful and grounding.

"What if... what if it goes wrong?"

The doctor sighed. He hadn't signed up for this mess. He was only here because he had performed successful surgeries on children with HBD before and this couple wanted to save their son. It was a mess of non-disclosure agreements as well as having to perform the surgery here; in the couple's home, rather than the hospital. Their child had been hooked up to life support since he had been born, his mother putting in time each and every day to care for the unconscious boy. The doctor has been assured that the boy would have no troubles accumulating to life, even though he had been in a medical coma for almost all of his life.

They set a time and a date and Haruka breathed a sigh of relief, although she would be tense throughout the surgery.

Neither parent told Netto about it, or Rockman. They talked about it but they didn't want to get Rockman's hopes up. After all, if this was successful, he would be able to live as Saito for the first time in his life.

* * *

Rockman felt strange. When he closed his eyes, he could almost hear the sounds of somewhere else. His body would ache and he was certain he could hear voices talking.

"Rockman?" He opened his eyes to his operator's face. "Everything alright?"

"Of course, Netto!" he responded with a smile. He closed his eyes for a moment and thought he heard his mother asking when he would wake up. He opened them and tried to focus on his operator, although his vision was foggy for a moment.

Netto gasped. "You just went fuzzy!"

"Fuzzy?" Rockman questioned. What did Netto mean?

Apparently, his data was fizzing at the edges, like he was breaking apart. That wasn't good. They would have to tell Papa about it right away.

However, when they got home, Papa was in the workshop, the only room in the house which was always locked and which the two had never been in.

* * *

Rockman powered down for the night, his eyes closing as the screen to his PET went off. A weightless feeling like being transferred zipped through his body. His eyes felt crusted over and his body weak.

He groaned, trying to move but finding he didn't have the energy to.

"W..hat?" he croaked as he forced his eyes open. The dark room came into focus slowly, along with the image of his father, sleeping on the edge of his bed.

Bed?

Rockman blinked and slowly pulled himself up. He braced himself against the headboard and shuffled upwards.

"Pa...pa," he tried to shout, his voice coming out as a painful whisper. He inched his hand across the bed, unable to lift it much higher, and poked his father's cheek. "Papa!" he tried again. He barely had any volume but Dr Hikari stirred.

"Saito?" he questioned, causing Rockman to frown.

"No."

Dr Hikari gave him small smile and reached out. Rockman was amazed to feel his father's hand in his hair. Even if his hair was ridiculously long. It was hanging right past his shoulders.

"Do you remember anything?" he asked.

"Remember?"

"Let's try this instead, Saito. What do you remember?"

"Rockman, Papa."

Dr Hikari grabbed a mirror. "I'll assume everything then." He placed the mirror in front of Rockman.

A round face like Netto's stared back. Brown eyes grew wide as brown hair messily hung over them. Rockman shuddered a little, squeezing them shut. He looked a little like the ghost girl from that horror movie Netto wanted to see.

"How?" he questioned, gripping the bed sheets. How was he here? How was it that he could barely move?

"I'll explain later," Papa said, smiling down at him. Rockman was memorised by the way his eyes sparkled. Papa looked like he wanted to cry. "You should rest for now."

His eyelids were already dropping and Rockman could feel himself being pulled away. "O...k," he mumbled.

* * *

Rockman woke up in his PET, breathing heavily and nervous about his surroundings. He looked around but he was in the comfortable room of his PET. He placed a hand on his navi icon and wondered at the strange imaginings he had dreamed up.

He didn't mention it to Netto the next morning.

* * *

Rockman went into sleep mode and awoke in the strange room again. This time, he felt a little better. There was no one around and he curled on his side and watched the door before falling back asleep.

* * *

"Papa's way too busy," Netto sighed during lunch. Meiru's expression didn't change as she reminded him that his father was a famous scientist.

Roll eyed Rockman warily. She had noticed the strange fuzzing he seemed to be glitching with recently. It was like his body wasn't rendering right.

"Any way to contact him?" she asked Rockman quietly.

Rockman shook his head. "You would think it'd be easy to contact him, considering he's in the house. But he's only leaving the locked room for work at SciLab."

"That room you and Netto have never been in?" Roll questioned. It had been a while since they had even thought about that room.

Rockman nodded and closed his eyes with a sigh.

* * *

"Saito?" a voice said from far away. He thought he could see the room again with a blurry Mama sitting by his side.

* * *

Rockman's eyes snapped open. Roll grabbed his arm and hugged him close.

"Are you okay?" she asked quickly.

He nodded, confused. Maybe... "Did I fizz out again?"

Roll nodded. "You almost vanished."

Rockman swallowed and looked up to see their operators looking at him with worry. He tried to reassure them but since they had no idea what was happening, there was little he could do to ease their fears.

"Hopefully your father finishes his work quickly," Meiru commented quietly.

* * *

It was a couple of days later and Rockman thought he might be getting better. The dreams continued but he just ignored it, closing his eyes until the room went away and the fizzing out during the day had almost stopped. Everyone had gone to the arcade for the afternoon, Netto promising that he would do his homework afterwards.

However, the moment Rockman touched ground in the game servers, his body felt strange. His vision blurred and the battle arena vanished, everything going black for a moment before refocusing into that room again.

"Mama? Papa?" Rockman questioned. This time he could pull himself up so he was in a sitting position. Brown hair fell over his eyes for a moment. He squeezed his eyes shut, hoping to find himself back in the arena.

However, a hand touched his head instead, tucking long hair behind his ear and Rockman opened his eyes to his father's soft smile.

"Welcome back, Saito."

"Why do you keep calling me that? What's going on?" Rockman asked.

His parents shared a look. Mama grabbed some apple slices from a nearby tray and held one out to him.

"Eat," she said. "And we'll talk."

Rockman frowned at the food but opened his mouth anyway. The taste of the fruit was strong on his unused taste-buds and his face scrunched up. He continued eating the fruit as his parents explained.

There had been something Dr Hikari hadn't told him and Netto about Rockman's creation. Rockman had been created from Saito's DNA, allowing him to sync with Netto but, it was mainly for him to sync with Saito. While Saito's mind had been encased in the navi, his body had been kept alive with machines.

It was only recently that a cure for HBD had been created. It finally enabled Saito to go under the knife and be cured.

"You still have a long way to recovery though," Mama said. "Your body needs exercise and food to build up strength."

Rockman, or Saito, didn't know how to process this. He wasn't just a navi. He had a human body. He listened as his parents described the therapy his body would have to go through with a sinking heart.

"What about Netto?" What would Netto do without him?

"We'll tell him tonight."

"I have a feeling he's going to come home upset," Mama said. "After all, Rockman's probably inoperable."

There was a distressed sound which Saito realised a moment too late came from him. He covered his mouth and slipped under the sheets.

No more Rockman? Netto wasn't the only one upset.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

* * *

Netto came in to see him later that week. He told Saito that their parents had waited until that day to tell him. Before then, Papa had told him that he was looking into what happened to Rockman.

Saito stared at Netto. This was his brother, in a way he had never see him before.

"We share a face," he commented.

"It wasn't like we didn't already," Netto responded with a shrug. "Do you know how long it'll be until you're better?"

Saito explained that, according to Papa and Mama, he was mostly better now and only had to recover the ability to use his body. Netto listened but didn't really seem to get it. His expression took on the same glazed look it had during classes when he wasn't listening.

Netto wanted things to go back to normal. "Everyone keeps asking when Rockman's coming back," he muttered quietly. He wasn't sure if he wanted Saito to hear that or not.

Saito decided to ignore it. It was nice to hear that his friends missed him but he didn't know when he would be able to be Rockman again. He asked Netto about school instead and listened as his brother described a netbattle between Gutsman and Iceman.

* * *

Saito got tired easily in this body. He curled up in the sheets and closed his eyes. He felt a rush of energy through him and he opened his eyes to the house network. Specifically, Netto's homepage. His hands were the blue gloves he had been used to seeing all his life.

The smoothness of Rockman's helmet covered his head. He touched his hands around it, wondering if he would suddenly wake up.

This had to be a dream, right? Or maybe he was in the net somehow? There was a test he could do. Rockman bolted for the link and made his way towards the school.

"Please let Netto be in class, please let Netto be in class," he muttered to himself over and over again. He didn't feel tired or puffed as he ran. There was no sweat or weakness in his legs. He ran for the school network, not stopping, not daring to believe.

"Rockman?" Roll questioned in surprise as he ran through the school network towards the familiar desk interface. He heard the gasps of his friends and his name called out, but he couldn't stop. He made his way to the area which lined up with Netto's desk, only for his heart to fall.

Netto's PET wasn't connected.

"Rockman!" Roll called, running over. "Where have you been?"

"Roll!" he called back, taking a couple of steps towards her as she closed the gap. "I need to talk to Netto! Can Meiru do that for me?"

Roll was confused but pulled up the screen. Meiru seemed to be focusing on something and Rockman hated to distract her from her school work but he needed answers.

"Meiru!" he called out, causing her to jump. Rockman winced and checked the volume of the PET before turning it down. He didn't think he could control his voice volume right now.

Meiru was surprised to see him next to Roll but did as he asked, passing her PET along to Netto.

Rockman saw the confusion on Netto's face as he took the PET and looked down at the screen, expecting to see Roll.

"Rockman?" he questioned loudly and in shock.

"Netto!" Ms Mari scolded. Netto winced and Rockman's vision burst into pixels.

Saito opened his eyes, gasping for breath as he sat up in bed. Mattress below him, sheets around him and the increasingly familiar green walls of his room.

With a groan, he flopped back down onto the bed. Just a dream. He should have known.

* * *

Saito knew when Netto was home even though it was earlier than usual. The door slammed and there were banging footsteps heading his way. Saito waited for the pound, pound, pound to fade upstairs but instead it moved to his door.

"Come in," he said, heart thudding as Netto let himself in.

"That's the second time that's happened!" Netto huffed in frustration.

"What?"

Netto pulled out his PET and tossed it at Saito. It looked the same as always, right down to the 'Navi not found' twirling on the screen like a screensaver.

Saito had no clue what Netto was talking about.

"Rockman! He appeared at school today but I didn't get a chance to talk because he vanished in a beam of light when Ms Mari scolded me!"

"Maybe you shouldn't have shouted in the middle of class then," Saito commented knowingly. Then he realised as Netto blinked like a cat that, "it wasn't a dream?" Netto was still confused. Saito explained what had happened that day.

"You're still able to get on the net then!" Netto grinned. "Is it just when you sleep or do you think you'll be able to do it while awake?"

"I have no clue. I didn't even know I could."

Saito's heart sped up. He could get back on the net! He closed his eyes and thought of the place he had considered his world. He opened them, sighing in disappointment as he saw white sheets and Netto's orange vest out of the corner of his eyes.

"Try to go to sleep when I head off to school," Netto suggested. I'll check the PET for Rockman.

"Check before you leave," Saito said. "I appeared in your computer today. Running to school took some time."

"Not as much as it takes me," Netto said with a laugh. Certainly, the net was a faster way to get around.

"Even so, I'd rather not waste the time. Having to wait for you to arrive in the classroom will be difficult to explain. Besides, shouldn't we arrive together?"

Netto nodded enthusiastically.

"So what happened after I left?"

Netto's voice was a soothing sound and Saito enjoyed talking with his brother. It was during times like this he could forget that he felt trapped in this room and to this bed.

* * *

After years of being Netto's navi, Saito knew when Netto would wake up. Shortly before time, he rolled over and tried to go to sleep. It was easier than he thought it would be. He felt the rush once again and let it pull him down.

He opened his eyes to the room in his PET.

"Hahaha! I did it!" he cheered in relief. He couldn't stop laughing at just how lucky he was.

"Rockman?" Netto mumbled as he stirred. Rockman stopped as he hadn't meant to wake his brother up. Netto was halfway out of bed before his brain caught up and he remembered what they had spoken about the previous afternoon.

Rockman grinned up at his operator as Netto rushed over and pulled the PET from its dock.

"Rockman!" Rockman reached out as his screen was filled with the close sight of Netto's cheek. "You're back!"

"I never really left, Netto."

"I know," Netto huffed. "But it's different with you as Saito. You're kind of... frail."

Rockman was strong. He knew he was! However, he also knew that Saito couldn't walk for more than 30 minutes without feeling tired. His human body just wasn't used to moving yet.

"Papa says I'll be stronger soon," Rockman said.

"Uh-huh," Netto's face vanished into his shirt for a moment as he pulled it on. A couple of minutes later and Netto was ready for school. He grabbed the PET and bolted down for breakfast.

Rockman kept very quiet and Netto didn't speak to him as he ate. Mama rushed around, making sure the youngest Hikari had food in his belly and a lunch for school.

"Hey," Netto questioned as they were on their way. "Are we going to keep this from Mama and Papa?"

Rockman thought about that. "Should we?" They had worked really hard to keep Saito alive. They deserved to know that he wasn't staying in his room while he healed. "Papa might be able to tell us why this is happening."

"We could experiment a little more. So that we can tell Papa everything!"

Rockman chuckled. "What kind of experiments do you think we should do?"

Netto had already figured out a few things. Saito had to be asleep to log in as Rockman, although that could change as Saito practised. Rockman also didn't have to log in at the same place, shown by how he had been on the homepage one day and in the PET the next. Netto theorised that it could be a proximity thing, a familiarity thing or some combination of the two. He had a couple of ideas already for how they could test that.

Rockman wondered if he would be able to sleep and wake for these tests as instantly as Netto make it sound. So far, he had found sleeping as Saito to be difficult. Sometimes he would lie there with his eyes closed and nothing would happen for a while. Sleeping as a human wasn't as easy as hitting a switch.

"And, what happens when you log out?" Netto mused to himself as Rockman listened indulgently. "Are you able to log out into Saito's body whenever you like or does a certain condition have to be met? Is it when you wake up? But what if Rockman's consciousness isn't able to make the transfer..." Netto kept rambling all the way to school.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

* * *

Rockman hung in Netto's PET and computer desk during roll call and the first class. However, something tugged at his senses after ten in the morning.

"Netto," he said, waving his arms to catch his operator's attention. "I feel something strange."

"Strange?" Netto questioned. Rockman didn't get a chance to respond as his vision burst into light and he opened his eyes back in his room. There was a hand on his shoulder, gently shaking him. Saito opened his eyes to the worried face of his father.

"Time for some more tests, Saito," Papa said.

Saito yawned and nodded. He was half-there as he pulled on shirt, pants and a blue vest. He wondered how Netto would explain his disappearance. He pulled on his shoes, pulling himself back together. Which was a strange thought to have but the only way he could explain the sensation.

"Ready," he said to Papa as he wobbled out of the room. Papa ran most of the tests from the living room couch, testing his vitals and drawing blood. Saito felt a little sick at the sight of the blood. Navis didn't bleed. They could leak data which dissipated into the net but red stuff didn't come out of their body. Blood stuck and stained things.

"Here Saito," Mama said the moment Papa was done. She was holding out a juice box.

Saito stared at the box. "What's this for?"

Papa chuckled and took the drink from Mama before pressing it into his hand.

"Drink it, kiddo. We don't want you fainting."

Maybe he wanted to be unconscious, Saito thought spitefully. He wondered if he would reappear in the classroom server like nothing had happened.

A tangy flavour hit his tongue and he stopped sipping to stare at the juice. Things could have this much flavour?

* * *

Saito looked down at the biscuit Mama had handed him and sighed. Food was good. Annoyingly good. He wanted to hate everything about this since he had been pulled from the internet, from the place he considered home. However, he found that he liked hugs from Mama and food.

"Mama! I'm home!"

Saito jumped from his seat at the sound of Netto's voice, only to trip over his still weak legs and hit the ground with a crash.

Netto's shoes filled his vision as his little brother tried very hard not to laugh. They quickly finished eating and then went up to Netto's room, away from Mama.

"You almost managed to stay on the net for all of morning classes," Netto pointed out.

"Papa woke me up," Saito said in a disappointed tone. "I don't think I'll be able to sleep during the day for much longer."

Netto was visibly disappointed. Saito moved closer to his brother, taking a seat next to him on the floor. They bumped shoulders and Netto turned to smile at him.

"I'm sure we'll figure something out!" he said cheerfully. But the change was a little too sudden for Saito's taste. Sure, his brother could be cheerful and optimistic but he didn't go from upset to cheerful instantly.

"Netto," Saito said in warning. "It's okay. Even if we have to stay up late so that I can go on the net, we'll still be a team."

Netto stared at him, mouth open in a silent gasp. "But, you hate staying up late!"

Saito grinned. "If it comes down to not being able to be Rockman and being a little tired the next day, I think I'd rather be tired. As long as you're okay with it?"

Netto looked like Christmas had come early. There was a real grin on his face and a sparkle in his eyes. He was more than okay with it!

* * *

Saito stared at the TV. It was displaying a black screen but it was enough to serve his purpose. He squinted his eyes at it. He stared without blinking. He tried resting his hand on the TV and closing his eyes.

It seemed not matter what he did, he wasn't able to trigger whatever it was that sent him onto the net.

Suddenly the TV switched to an active channel, the sudden noise assaulting him. Saito jumped back and only registered the laughter from behind him a moment later.

Netto was sitting on the couch, remote in hand and a wide grin on his face.

"That was mean," he said.

"It's just a prank. Besides, you've been staring at the TV for so long I might as well give you something else to stare at."

Saito stared at the two people on the screen. "I don't think a cooking show is any better."

"I thought you liked food," Netto mused, thinking about how much Saito was eating at dinner. He couldn't eat the amount of food Netto could but he was eating more than Mama.

"I'd rather learn cooking from Mama, not the TV."

"What were you trying to do?" Netto asked. When Saito explained, Netto frowned. "Every other time, you synced with Rockman while asleep. What you should be doing is trying to recreate that."

"How?"

"You curl up in bed and try to sleep," Netto suggested with a grin.

It was a good idea and Saito was annoyed that he hadn't thought of it. He took note of the PET in Netto's hands and the homework file which was open on the screen. "Finish your homework first."

Saito ended up helping Netto more than he should have however, he was excited to try Netto's idea.

* * *

Saito groaned and rolled over again. He had already kicked the sheets off in his attempt to get to uploaded sleep.

"You're trying too hard," Netto said, unhelpfully.

"The comments every two minutes aren't helping."

"It's not like you've never slept before. Even Rockman has his sleepmode."

"Sleepmode is different to sleep." More convenient. "Sleep mode is like, if you could flip the light switch off and be asleep. None of this lying in bed and waiting for it to come nonsense."

"I'm curious now. Do you sleep at night?"

"Yes. I've been tired from Papa's tests and the work outs Mama puts me though to stay awake."

Saito sighed and closed his eyes again. He lay there for a while, eyes closed. He wasn't sure whether he was asleep or falling asleep when a familiar jolt zapped through him. It was like being pulled by lightning.

"Rockman!" Netto cheered happily.

Rockman opened his eyes to the familiarity of his PET. He sighed, a weight coming off his shoulders. "Okay, now what?" he asked his operator.

Netto glanced over at the bed and Rockman had the peculiar sensation of looking at himself, even if it was just a head of hair visible at the end of some sheets. Netto raised a hand, reaching for the sleeping body.

"Netto!" Rockman hissed. "We already know that I log out if Saito's woken up!"

Netto's bottom lip jutted out as he looked between Rockman and Saito.

"I know," he mumbled. "But I wanted to see what it's like."

"Maybe, after we fight some viruses?" Rockman suggested. It was a good work out. No more aches and pains as he moved, he could run and jump with ease. If Netto noticed how Rockman just enjoyed jumping the distance from road to road like they were giant trampolines, he didn't comment on it. Fighting viruses was as natural as breathing and soon, too soon, it was time for Rockman and Netto to have dinner.

With a sigh, Rockman gave the okay for Netto to wake Saito up.

Saito woke to Netto shaking his shoulder. However, he remembered feeling a strange sensation, like logging off, long before Netto had touched him. He hoped this meant he could learn to control it.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

* * *

The weekend arrived and with it came a task from their father. Netto was to take Saito out around the city. Saito was to listen to his brother because this was both to help him test his stamina and to get him used to the outside world. As Saito, he hadn't had to interact with any humans outside of his father, mother, brother and doctor.

Saito slowly pulled on his blue vest and zipped it up. Then he put his shoes on. It didn't take him long to learn how to ties laces however, he found he preferred the rip and press of velcro instead. His white shirt was spotless and he pulled on a blue cap. Not having anything on his head was weird.

"Ugh, finally!" Netto sprung to his feet, leaving the couch behind as he came over. Netto grabbed the vest and undid it. Then he reached up to pull off the cap and mess up Saito's hair. Saito ducked out of the way, feeling a slight pull on his chest as he did so. There was a monitor attached there, to gather data on his health during this outing and to make sure he didn't relapse while pushing himself.

"Alright, I guess you look okay."

Saito breathed a sigh of relief. "Then can we go?"

"You seem excited?"

Saito pressed his hands together nervously. Quietly, he said, "I'm hoping we can find a place where I can sleep-"

"-and spend the day on the net! That's perfect!" Netto responded at the same volume. He grinned and bounced and pulled Saito out of the house and over to the underground metro.

"Do you know how to get a ticket?"

Saito nodded. "I've seen you do it enough times." He pressed the button for a ticket to the station closest to the arcade and held his ticket out to Netto. "How's this?"

Netto knew he was teasing and ignored him as he got his own ticket.

* * *

The arcade was louder than Saito remembered from his times here as Rockman. Netto pulled his PET out of his bag. As he didn't have a navi in it full time anymore, he didn't bother with the upper-arm strap he used to put his PET in. However, he still kept his PET on him since Saito could somehow jump back.

"Do you think you can sleep here?"

"I'm willing to try," Saito said. His mouth opened wide with a yawn the next moment.

"I'm taking that as a good sign," Netto commented as he shoved the PET into Saito's hands. Saito closed his eyes as he lay on the bench, hoping for sleep to come quick.

It took a while but eventually he felt the tingling which was a precursor to the falling jolt of an upload. He mentally grabbed the tingles by focusing on them and letting himself fall.

The first two times, he shook himself out of sleep as the falling sensation caused his physical stomach to roll. It was strange and unnerving and Netto has to assure him that it was a normal sensation to experience. Even when lying down.

Finally, on the third attempt, Saito focused on the tingles, got a falling sensation and jolt and opened his eyes to his room in the PET.

"Finally!" Rockman cried out.

Netto glanced over at his brother's sleeping body. "I wonder, are you able to wake yourself up?"

"That's a test for another day," Rockman said. "Today is for netgames!"

Netto was up for that. He kept a watch on his brother's body while sending Rockman into navi games and wiping the floor with anything and anyone who challenged them.

* * *

Saito let Netto call out to their parents. He focused on removing his shoes and leaving them neatly by the door.

Papa looked up from his laptop with a smile. "How was it, boys?"

"Great!" Netto said, waving his hands around. "I took Saito to the city and we hung out in the arcade!"

"It wasn't too loud?" Papa asked, looking over at Saito.

Saito shook his head. However, it wasn't like he had really done much in this body. Rockman had been the one moving around the loud arcade.

"That's good."

"Maybe you'll be ready for school soon," Mama said as she moved around the kitchen, cleaning and washing up.

"School?" the twins questioned in unison.

"Of course! We can't just leave Saito alone here during the day," Mama laughed.

"I'm sure you want to start reconnecting with your friends, Saito," Papa said.

Saito wondered if they somehow interpreted his frown as an enthusiastic grin. It wouldn't be hard with Netto grinning beside him.

"Do I have to?"

"It'll be good for you," Papa said, ending the conversation. Saito knew that their parents wouldn't let him fight them on this.

Netto didn't seem to like it either, his smile slightly frayed at the edges. Rockman wouldn't be able to come to school if Saito had to be there.

* * *

Rockman would normally hesitate outside the entrance to Roll's computer. However, today was not a day for hesitation. Tomorrow, Saito would start school and Rockman's periodic appearances during the day would end. He had already left talking to Roll off for far too long. Already spent too much time hesitating.

"Rockman? What are you doing here so late?" Roll questioned, knowing immediately when he accessed Roll's computer. "Netto?"

A screen appeared behind Rockman. Netto grinned and waved.

"Don't mind me!" he said. "Rockman just wanted me to be here so he didn't chicken out."

The question was on Roll's face when she looked at him. Rockman shifted nervously. He didn't think she would take this well. He didn't want to tell her everything but he couldn't tell her nothing.

"Roll, I won't be able to be on the net as much as I used to."

"Why not?" Roll's hands were warm on his arms. He closed his eyes so he didn't have to face the worry sparkling in her eyes.

"Papa wants me to do something else during the day and no longer be Netto's navi."

"What?" Roll's hands vanished from his arms and her voice was high and loud.

"Shh!" Netto said. He was glancing back at his door. "Keep it down! Papa doesn't know that Rockman's here!"

"Why would Dr Hikari do this? You two are the best team!"

"I don't know," Rockman admitted.

"You have to say something!"

"I can't. There's a reason Papa is doing this."

"Is it because of the glitching?" Roll said. "Does he think that it's a problem?"

"The glitching is part of the reason." After all, he was only glitching because Saito's body was calling him back. "Maybe I'll-"

"Saito, wake up!" Netto hissed in his ear.

Saito's eyes snapped open, head spinning from the change in location and the bedroom door opening the moment Netto flicked all the screens off.

Dr Hikari took in the sight of his twin boys, both up much later than they should be on a school night. Saito was in the wrong room, lounging against Netto's desk while Netto had most certainly been playing some kind of game on his computer which had been quickly shut down.

"Boys, it's time for bed."

Saito was breathing heavily and seemed surprised as he got to his feet. "Everything alright?"

Saito nodded but didn't add anything more. It worried Dr Hikari, who didn't want his kid to relapse. They were finally able to be a family in the same space. He pulled Saito into a hug. After a moment, he placed a hand on Netto's shoulder so he wouldn't feel left out.

"Are you boys worried about school?"

He felt Saito's head incline towards the floor. Was that a nod?

"It'll be okay. I've managed to arrange for the school to give you two school-owned navis while on campus. They'll help you get your work done."

Saito looked up, brown eyes staring right into his.

"Papa. Having a navi is going to be weird."

"I know, son. But it's only while on school grounds. It's now required that all students your age have a navi."

Netto stuck out his tongue. "It's a stupid rule."

"A lot of your education from now on will rely on programs and operations that require a navi's help," Dr Hikari said. He glanced at the clock. "And this isn't the time for a discussion on it. Bed."

Netto looked at his bed and then at the door.

"Netto," Dr Hikari said in a warning tone. If his son bolted from the room as a joke or prank, he was going to be grounded for the week. No soccer in the park.

"Fine," Netto huffed, going over to climb into bed.

Saito let go of Papa and left for his own room, footsteps sounding down the steps as he went.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes:** It's late, I know. There are reasons for it but the reasons make my location easy to figure out so I won't talk about it too much. Just, it's been a rough week guys.

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

* * *

Saito woke up with his insides rolling around. He didn't want to leave bed but he had to. He couldn't eat more than a couple of bites of toast, even though he knew food was important for this physical body. He stuck to Netto while they dressed and bid their parents good-bye.

Saito stopped as they reached the street.

"I can't do this." His heart was hammering in his chest and the flip-flop of his insides had only gotten worse. He couldn't talk to his parents about it because they wanted him to go to school and act like a normal kid. He didn't want to disappoint them. "I really don't want to do this."

"I'll help you through it," Netto said, holding out a hand. Saito was surprised to see that he didn't have his skates on. "We'll go together and you just have to tell me if it's too much and I'll get you to the nurse."

Saito took his brother's hand. Netto rambled on about things as they walked down the street.

"Nettooooo!" a voice called out. Meiru came running up from behind, school bag bouncing as she moved. She caught up to them and froze as she took in the two similar boys standing in front of her. "Who's this?"

"This is Saito," Netto said, giving his brother's hand a squeeze. He hadn't missed the way Saito had shifted slightly behind him. "Saito, Meiru. Meiru, Saito."

"Nice to meet you," Saito said, inclining his head a little and biting his lip. Would she notice that he was Rockman?

"Yes, nice to meet you too. Are you a cousin of Netto's or something? You look so alike."

"I'm his older twin," Saito said. He could ignore the nerves a little, now just a niggling in his gut.

"Saito's been really sick so Mama and Papa haven't been able to bring him home until recently."

"Wow. That must have sucked," Meiru said.

"Adjusting to life sucks," Saito sighed.

"He really doesn't want to go to school."

"That's not good! School is great! Shut up, Netto!" Meiru scolded the younger twin for laughing. "Really. Everyone's so nice!"

Saito just managed to keep from saying that he knew that. He wasn't supposed to know who these people were.

"And we're going to be late if we don't get moving," Meiru started walking, pulling them along.

"Meiru," Roll appeared on Meiru's shoulder, projected by the PET.

"Oh right! Rockman visited Roll last night, what as that about?"

Netto glanced over at Saito and nervously laughed. "Um, well, that is-"

"Is he really leaving?" Meiru asked.

Netto's mouth clicked shut and he nodded. "I won't have him during school starting today."

Roll disappeared from Meiru's shoulder. She had looked really sad. Saito wondered if the same frown was on his face. He missed the net.

"What will you do about class?"

"The school is providing us with navis to complete classwork with."

"Saito doesn't have a navi either?" Saito didn't notice Meiru staring at him. "Saito?" She twisted into his vision, causing him to jump back.

"What?"

"You don't have a navi?" she asked again.

Saito shook his head. "I've never had a navi."

Meiru's mouth dropped open in surprise and Saito looked away. He didn't want to know what she was thinking. Probably something about how it sucked that he didn't have a navi.

He thought it sucked he wasn't allowed to be one.

* * *

The school was larger than he thought it would be. Saito looked around, wondering how he would find the classroom.

"Is there a map or something? Some kind of indicator?" he asked.

"We'll show you the way," Meiru said.

Netto was more helpful. "We're mostly in the same room, which is marked with our class. Plus, the room is labelled. Floor number and then door number, counting from the right."

"Really?" Meiru hadn't heard about the rooms being numbered.

"Thanks, Netto." Saito looked above the door and, sure enough, there was a label with a number on it. This was the ground floor so the first digit was '0'. There was even a sign on the door which said what it was.

"Where's the office?" Saito questioned, since that's where they needed to go first.

"Follow me!" Netto said.

"I really hope you're not going to use this as an excuse to come to class late."

"I'm really helping Saito find his way around," Netto said. However, they both knew that tone. It was the one which said there was more to it. Like being late to class with a legitimate reason for once.

Saito just started walking, hoping that he would find it easily. Netto had been to the office for a number of reasons before so it couldn't be that difficult to locate. He tried the first door.

"Saito! That's the storage cupboard!" Netto said.

"Okay?" Saito said, not really sure why Netto was saying it in shock. He realised a second later when something hit his head and dropped to the ground with a clatter.

Meiru winced in sympathy. Someone hadn't put things back in the cupboard properly and the mop had fallen out on Saito's head.

"That seems like a safety issue," Saito commented, staring at the mop on the ground.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Saito told her. It hurt a little bit he was fine.

Meiru did go to class without them. She was going to tell the rest of the class about Saito so that his sudden appearance wouldn't take them by surprise. Saito had followed his brother though the door to Ms Mariko's class before he knew it and, even though Meiru had given some warning, even the teacher was staring silently at him.

Netto frowned and looked around, just as lost as Saito was.

"Uh... hi?" Saito finally said. "I'm Saito Hikari, Netto's older twin. I've been sick for most of my life and I haven't left the house in years. Recent advancements in medicine have helped cure me and so I'm able to come to school. It's nice to meet you all." He turned to Ms Mariko. "Can I sit down now?"

Saito hightailed it to the desk which was now his and quickly sunk down in it. In the moment before everyone went back on task and they were all staring at him, he felt like attempting to sink through the floor.

After that, he sat there. He listened and he did the work and time dragged on.

At least in the computer, Rockman had been able to pass the time by quietly chatting with his friends. Saito wasn't allowed to talk. He had already gotten in trouble for it once.

* * *

Lunchtime eventually rolled around and Saito tried to get the bored expression off his face.

"You seem to share Netto's enthusiasm for school," Yaito commented after introductions were completed. The blond girl only reached up to his chest and Saito was hardly intimidated by her.

"So? At least I didn't fall asleep."

"You're implying that I have," Netto grumbled. He had never fallen asleep in class, no matter how much he wanted to.

"It's always a possibility."

Netto glared at his brother while everyone else chuckled.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

* * *

Netto was a zombie the next day. He stumbled out of bed and blankly ignored Saito's frantic attempts to help him get dressed. Netto yawned his way through breakfast and with Saito pulling him around Netto could close his eyes and just follow along.

Saito ran out to meet Meiru, pulling Netto along behind him.

"Sorry!" he huffed. He felt hot and his heart was pounding in his chest from the everything he had to do that morning. Maybe he should have just left Netto in bed and gone to school without him.

Meiru waved her hand in front of Netto's face. "Netto?"

Netto yawned a muffled 'morning'.

"What happened?" Meiru said as they started walking towards school.

Saito shrugged. They had stayed up later than usual but that was because Rockman couldn't go online until after dinner when they could go to their rooms and be left alone. "Staying up late isn't good for you," Meiru scolded. "No wonder Netto's so out of it!"

"He'll probably be sent home if he doesn't wake up." What could be done? "I could slap him? That'll probably snap him out of it." By now they were standing outside the school gate. There was no time like the present.

"Saito! No!" Meiru said, grabbing his arm. "That's not how you wake someone up!"

"I've already tried calling his name. He doesn't respond. Maybe I could splash his face with water?" There was a fountain outside the school which he could use as a water source.

"I feel like I should say no to that," Meiru said with a nervous glance in Netto's direction.

"It's better than slapping him," Roll pointed out.

"Netto, wake up or we'll shove you in the fountain~" Saito said in a sing-song tone. Maybe he was a little too enthusiastic but he was tired too!

Netto mumbled something and stumbled as Saito gave him a little shove.

"Saito! You said splash his face, not shove him into the fountain!" Meiru scolded, grabbing Netto's hand and pulling him away.

Netto yawned again, eyes opening and squinting against the light.

"You can't tell me that it's not a good idea!"

Seeing Meiru slapping at his brother's arm, Netto decided he didn't care to know what was going on fully and he made his way inside. He almost tripped over little Yaito as he walked into the classroom.

Completely unfazed by his manner, Yaito said, "good morning, Netto. Where's Meiru?"

"Outside. She and Saito are fighting over something," Netto responded before slipping into his desk. If he was lucky, he could get a couple of minutes sleep before class started. He had just closed his eyes when he name was shouted by two urgent voices.

"Netto!"

He glared. "What?" Saito and Meiru came rushing over to his desk.

"We've been looking all over for you!" Saito said. "I was worried you had walked back home!"

"I wouldn't leave you here. I just need a nap."

Saito covered his mouth, realising how loud he had been. "Sorry. I'll let you sleep." He was feeling slightly guilty since it was for his sake that Netto had stayed up late. Netto could just as easily get a new navi for searching the net, he didn't need Rockman.

Ms Mariko instantly noticed the two Hikari brothers the moment she entered the room. It was hard to miss the identical brown heads resting on desks while the two slept. She let Saito and Netto sleep during morning tasks and woke them up before maths started.

* * *

Dekao poked at the twin currently groaning into his desk.

"Are you asleep again, Saito?"

Saito groaned again. "I can't believe I fell asleep."

"I can," Netto responded.

"What time did you two even go to bed?" Meiru asked.

Neither twin wanted to answer that question, giving her all the answer she needed. Whatever time it was, it had been late.

"You still did pretty well in Maths for someone who was half-asleep during the lesson," Yaito pointed out to the depressed twin. "And you could show a little remorse," she said to the slightly too chipper twin.

Netto shrugged. After all, he had tried to get all his sleep in before class. It wasn't his fault that no one woke him up.

* * *

Rockman paused as the clock clicked over to the next hour. He looked up at his operator.

"Maybe we should go to bed soon?" he suggested. They both had school the next day and he was certain Ms Mariko wouldn't let him sleep through another set of lessons.

"Technically, you're already in bed."

Rockman had a suspicion that his body wasn't getting as much rest as it would if he wasn't wasting energy running around the net.

"That's all well and good for me," except he had also fallen asleep at school when given the chance, "but you need sleep as well."

"One more battle."

"Fine. One more battle."

About seven battles later, the boys finally decided enough was enough and went to sleep for the night.

* * *

They needed a better plan, Saito decided. Ms Mariko had called them aside during break to ask if everything was okay. She was worried about them sleeping during class and that it was a sign of something wrong.

Netto was thinking quick and told her that they had been staying up getting to know each other since they had been apart for so long. It seemed she accepted his made-up excuse. However, it wouldn't work forever and they needed a better idea than making up sleep in classes.

Saito didn't remember much of the walk home. He knew he had done it but in a daze. His body was slow to react to things and skimming over the rest as unimportant.

"I just want to sleep," he grumbled, kicking his shoes off.

"There's an idea," Netto said with a grin. He didn't even bother taking his shoes off before he slipped onto the couch and fell asleep.

Saito stared at him. There was only one couch and it should have been wide enough for the both of them.

"Move over," he grumbled, shoving Netto's feet and pushing his brother into a curled position.

Their mother found them sleeping on opposite sides of the couch, Saito laying with his legs straight over Netto's curled up legs.

* * *

"Victory!" Saito cheered as he walked into the classroom, feeling more awake than he had in days.

"Seems they finally had a good night's sleep," Meiru laughed to Yaito.

Yaito huffed, unimpressed. "Boys."

Saito frowned at them. He was allowed to be happy about this. It had taken less than a week to get a routine going of sleeping when they got home so they could stay up late.

"You could be a little less excited about going to school," Netto pointed out, sticking out his tongue in distaste.

"Oi! Netto! How about a netbattle?" Dekao demanded.

"Can't," Netto responded with more grace than Saito was feeling. Saito wondered if Dekao was blind. How else did he miss how the PETs they were carrying had the school logo on them? Netto held it up for Dekao to see. "These are rentals. For schoolwork only."

"Like that stops a real man!" Dekao declared, thumping his hand on his chest. "You've got to have guts!"

"They record what we use them for," Saito added. "If Netto netbattles, the school will know."

"How about you then?" Dekao jammed a finger in Saito's direction.

Saito held up his identical school-issued PET. "I'm in the same boat."

Netto gave him a thoughtful look. "I wonder how you'd do operating in a netbattle?"

Saito thought about it and it just gave him weird vibes. He scrunched up his nose. "You might have to try it one day," Netto said.

"Nope. There's ways around netbattling," Saito pointed out.

Dekao didn't think that was any fun. Aiming to be the number one netbattler was better than trying to get around fighting. He pulled Netto away so they could talk battle chip collections while Saito somehow ended up chatting with Meiru and Yaito.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

* * *

His body moved almost without thought. Rockman jumped to the side, fired off two shots and smiled as the virus burst into data bits.

"Got him!" Netto cheered in a whisper from the other side of the screen. Rockman grinned back, his buster transforming back into a hand. He stretched and bounced his foot. He wanted to run. He wanted to jump. And shoot and fight viruses and talk to other navis and read the messages posted on the BBS boards.

"Rockman!" A familiar pink navi came running up to them. The yellow antenna around her helmet seemed to flash in the light, causing a sinking feeling to appear in Rockman's stomach. Roll threw her arms out, going for a hug. She was shocked when he stepped out of the way. "Rock?"

"Is everything alright?" Netto whispered to him.

"I'm fine, Netto," Rockman answered, stepping towards Roll. "Hi Roll. Long time no see." She was frowning, pouting a little and he wasn't sure why. "How's Meiru?" Of course, he knew how Meiru was since he saw her during the day but he figured Roll would expect him to ask.

"She's in bed. Like how Netto should be. Isn't it late?"

Netto appeared on the screen, shyly rubbing at the back of his neck. "I'm fine."

"No wonder you and Saito seem so tired. Where is Saito? Does he know you're up this late?"

Rockman couldn't meet her eyes. Of course he knew. It couldn't be helped though.

"Saito's in his room. He's not my keeper," Netto said, voice rising. Rockman flinched and hushed his brother. They didn't want their parents waking up.

"And no one is telling me what's going on," Roll sighed. She touched Rockman's arm gently. "You said you were doing something for Dr Hikari, right? What is it? Is it going to end soon?"

"It's something I'm not allowed to talk about. And it's not going to end," Rockman sighed. He felt Netto pull back, leaving him to talk to Roll alone. "I'm sorry, Roll."

She huffed. "I don't see why you two have to be apart! Especially if you're losing sleep in order to spend time together at night. How can Dr Hikari be okay with this?" The following silence was telling. "Dr Hikari doesn't know, does he?"

"No," Rockman said. "But he never said we couldn't do this."

"Rockman," Roll said softly, taking his hands. He couldn't look at her. Not with his heart twisting in his chest.

Netto sent a log out command and Rockman followed it instantly, leaving the net and having his room in the PET appear. It was cowardly but he was relieved.

"Thanks Netto."

"No problem," Netto said, even though he knew he was going to get it from Meiru when they next saw each other. Roll would know that he had pulled Rockman away. "But maybe you should figure out what we're going to do about Roll."

Rockman shrugged. "Papa said there's no reason to tell people about Saito and Rockman being one and the same."

"We can't leave Roll alone. She's going to mention seeing Rockman and Papa will be confused."

"How often does Papa even see Roll?" Rockman was thinking that they didn't really need to worry about talking to Roll or Papa about this.

"Rockman," Netto said in an annoyed tone.

"You know I'm right."

"If you're sure." Netto's tone was hesitant but his words said he was trusting his brother's decision on this.

* * *

Saito stared at the PET in his hand. The normal navi inside stared back. It couldn't do a thing without a human directing it. Voice commands worked as well as keyed in commands.

Saito wondered if he would be able to project himself into this PET, the way he did when he was asleep. Maybe he could replace this navi with someone more interesting.

"If you glare at it any harder, it might explode," Netto commented.

"That would be interesting."

"Saito, no." Netto suddenly smiled. "I have an idea!"

Saito was worried as Netto pulled him into a computer room.

"A netbattle?" he questioned when Netto told him his idea. Netto nodded and plugged in his school-issued PET.

"If we both fight with a normal navi, then it should be pretty even. It just comes down to our operating skills."

"What operating skills?" Saito questioned rhetorically because he had never done this before. "I don't even have a chip folder."

"You can have one of mine. I always have a couple spare," Netto said, pulling a blue folder out of his bag.

Saito took it and looked through it. It was a pretty basic folder, like the ones Higure gave out at 'learn to netbattle' events. Netto must have kept the folder from the last time he attended.

"This doesn't mean I can netbattle," he said.

"You can learn." Netto pat the seat of the computer next to the one he was seated at. "Come on. I'll teach you."

Saito thought this sounded like a terrible idea. Nonetheless, he indulged his little brother and sat down. He plugged in the PET and actually felt a slight tremble of excitement as the screen flashed and then showed the computer area the navi had appeared in.

Across from it was the one Netto used. His navi was orange, contrasting with the dull standard green and yellow of Saito's.

Orange was not a standard colour for generic navis. "Netto, did you customise him?"

"Just a slight colour change," Netto responded. "Doesn't it look better?"

"I'm glad you never tried that with me."

"Colour changes are more difficult with a custom navi. Besides, you were fine the way you were."

"Let's just netbattle."

Netto agreed, showing Saito the basic controls an operator had to worry about. Custom navis were more autonomous, allowing operators to focus on strategy. However, normal navis needed more direction which slowed operators down and made focusing only on strategy impossible.

"I'm going to fire a canon and you're going to dodge," Netto said, pulling out the chip.

Saito managed that easily enough.

"Now put a chip in to attack me."

Saito fumbled while pulling the chip out of the folder and it dropped to the ground, spilling chips everywhere.

Saito groaned and banged his head on the desk. This was not off to a good start.

* * *

Saito and Netto practised during lunch and a little bit after school. They had to return the navis before leaving so Netto was in less of a hurry to leave school than usual.

"Dodge!" Saito said as he indicated for the navi to move out of the way. He grabbed a chip from the pile he had placed on the table and slot it in. "And cannon!"

Netto laughed as his navi jumped out of the way and then fired a spreader.

Saito couldn't help crying out as his navi was hit. He moved it out of the way and then grabbed another chip.

"This battle has been going on forever," Meiru said from behind them.

"Haven't you run out of chips yet?" Roll questioned, appearing to the side of the battle.

"Time," Saito said, pulling his navi from the computer. Netto groaned in disappointment at the cancelled battle. Saito just silently gathered up his battle chips.

Meiru was frowning at them both.

"Did you need something?" Netto asked.

"Roll said she ran into Rockman last night, really late."

"Yeah, so?"

"What does Dr Hikari need Rockman for?" Meiru asked.

"Rockman's not allowed to say," Netto said truthfully. He then told a white lie, "so I don't know."

"Does this have something to do with Saito?" Saito jumped at the sound of his name. Why was she pulling him into this? "Is it because he doesn't have a navi?"

"How do you know that? I could have a navi with Rockman right now."

Netto was giving him a disbelieving look. "You don't."

"But I could," he muttered.

"Let's just head home," Netto said, packing the PET away. Meiru walked home with them but didn't bring up Rockman once, like she had sensed that she had upset them.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

* * *

Netto came bursting out of his house with his shoes already equipped with his roller-blade attachments. Saito came bursting out a second later.

"Seriously?" he shouted at his brother as he pulled along a bike. It was a blue peddle bike that his mother had gifted him with the previous afternoon. While Rockman had mostly ridden motorbikes and cars, his skills and natural balance allowed Saito to pick up the skill through a quick practice the previous evening.

Meiru was standing on the edge of the sidewalk. She had a scooter attached to her bag, which she pulled off when Netto came zooming past.

"We're going to have to catch him," she commented, getting onto her scooter.

"It'll be easy enough," Saito said confidently, getting onto his bike. He was off and following his brother moments later. His heart pounded in his chest and his legs burned with exertion but he kept going. He caught up with Netto quickly and they all arrived at school early.

"Saito, you okay?" Netto asked in a worried tone.

Saito gave an affirmative response and tried not to look like he was leaning heavily against his bike. His legs were wobbly and seemed like they couldn't hold his weight. It was an unpleasant reminder of what things had been like when he had first woken up.

"Where do I put this thing?" he said.

Meiru showed him the bike racks.

* * *

Saito and Netto had to pick up their school issued navis before heading to class so Meiru beat them there. She was already at her desk with Dekao hovering around.

Netto rammed into Dekao's side, pushing him away from Meiru.

"Dekao, let me enlighten you on the pain that is this navi the school gave me," Netto said. Dekao was all for heading Netto complain so he listened as Netto complained about the responsiveness, the lack of personality and the overall time waster that was collecting the navis at the start of the day and returning them at the end.

"You must miss having Rockman," Meiru said, which just led Netto into talking about Rockman's good points. Saito had to admit, it was nice to hear his brother speak good things about him.

He smiled as he gave his homework file to his school navi who dropped it into the homework box on the school network.

Netto was right about Rockman being faster. Rockman was built for speed. And it was really nice to hear Netto compliment his appearance. Sure, it was in comparison to the normal navi but still, Netto had complained about Rockman's simple appearance when they first met as navi and operator.

Saito's vision had been blurred since he hadn't been focusing on anything but now it kind of flickered as something detached.

His skin buzzed and tingled and, for a moment, Saito saw the network from first person view.

"Rockman!"

Saito jumped from his seat, the clatter snapping him back to himself. The buzz faded. He could still call up the feel of the phantom electricity but it was more charging than doing something.

"Roll?" Meiru questioned from behind him.

"I thought I saw Rockman!" Roll said. "But he was faded."

Meiru looked to Netto for an explanation but Netto looked over to Saito.

Saito didn't know what his face looked like but he felt shocked.

"Sounds like a ghost," Netto commented, his face slowly forming a grin.

A ghost? Saito felt a chill run down his back. Was that what he was now?

"Rockman would hate it if he heard that," Meiru commented, "he hates ghosts."

"So do I," Saito said, his voice pushed out in a whine as his brother crept closer, making stupid 'whoo~' noises like a child wearing a bed-sheet might. It really shouldn't have scared him but it still made the hairs on the back of Saito's neck rise; and wasn't that a new sensation? Saito decided he didn't like it one bit.

Saito slipped off his bag and held it in front of him.

"Netto, I'm warning you. Stop it. Or I'll hit you with my bag."

Netto laughed and slunk closer. Saito lashed out with his bag, landing one hit against his brother's shoulder. Meiru also hit his shoulder in the same spot a moment later.

"Ow!" He glared at them both, rubbing his sore spot.

"Serves you right," Meiru scolded. "Don't go around teasing your brother."

Netto also served a glare at Dekao, who was laughing at the back of the classroom, before slipping into his seat.

* * *

Netto was sour during lunch. He ate his lunch, complaining about how he was always the last to have programs ready during class. Something he blamed the slow normal navi for.

"Yes, we heard this all this morning," Yaito huffed. "Don't you have any new news? Like when your father will give Rockman back so we don't have to listen to this anymore?"

Netto was unwilling to answer that.

"Papa said that Rockman wouldn't be coming back," Saito explained softly for everyone.

"But there was that ghost of him this morning," Roll commented. "Maybe he wants to come back!"

"Roll, that might just be some kind of glitch," Meiru said. "Rockman did spend a lot of time here."

Roll frowned, cheeks puffing up in unspoken frustration.

"I keep forgetting he's with your father," Dekao said. "After all, it's not like we've seen much of you."

Netto apologised. Saito slouched, knowing that it was because of him that Netto hadn't been seeing his friends as much as he used to. Instead of hanging out with them after school, Netto had been going back home with Saito so they could work together on the homework, take their nap and then go on the internet after dinner.

"Maybe you could hang out with them this afternoon?" Saito suggested to his brother.

"Are you sure?" Netto questioned in surprise. After all, this meant that Saito wouldn't be able to fully enjoy his 'Rockman time'. Neither of them wanted to go back to not being able to stay awake during class.

After a nod from Saito, the group started planning what they would do. It was the same as usual, Yaito offered up her 'club house' which could be a real house for them to hang out at. Saito listened to them plan and their navis talk excitedly because their operators were excited.

The bell rang and Netto held Saito back as the rest of their friends dashed off for class.

"You know, if you go to sleep at home, you might be able to come as Rockman," he said.

"It's a plan but there's a lot of things which could go wrong," Saito said. "Remember that time I came running to school?"

Netto nodded but it was worth a try. If Rockman arrived then it would be like old times. If not, then they would hopefully have more information about Saito's ability.

* * *

The bell rang and Saito watched as Netto climbed into Yaito's limo with everyone else.

"See you at home," he said with a wave. The girls tried to invite him but he spun some lie about having to get the bike home since it was the first day he had used it.

Bike in hand, Saito was ready to ride home when another car pulled up. A familiar white-black haired figure in red stepped out.

"Enzan?" Saito questioned in confusion before recalling that he wasn't supposed to know who Enzan was. After all, Netto hadn't interacted with the other moody teenager since everything started.

"Dr Hikari asked me to pick you up," Enzan said, snapping his fingers.

"What?" The driver got out of the car and put Saito's bike in the trunk. "Wait. Did Papa ask for me or Netto?"

Enzan gave him a look somewhere between 'stop wasting my time' and 'why are you asking that?'

"Just get in the car." Enzan almost pushed him in and Saito had a moment where he realised he was technically being kidnapped.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

* * *

Enzan grabbed his arm to pull Saito out of the limo and into SciLab even though Saito followed him without a problem. Enzan kept glancing at him, like he knew something was off. Since Saito had already tried to explain that he wasn't Netto, he just smiled serenely back. This made Enzan frown in response.

They went down the halls and up the elevator to the floor where Dr Hikari's office was. It was a large office with a huge, wall sized monitor on one wall, filing cabinets along the wall to the left and a small cubical set up with Dr Hikari's computer and desk.

Enzan called out to the professor.

"You've arrived!" Dr Hikari said with a sweep of his hands. "I really hope Enzan didn't take you away from anything important. Where's your brother?"

"Brother?"

"Netto," Saito stressed the name, "is out with his friends. I was on my way home when Enzan picked me up."

Dr Hikari stared at Saito for a moment before taking of his glasses to clean them. Saito couldn't help rolling his eyes at the action. He knew that he and Netto appeared very similar but Saito had been told that he acted differently so Papa shouldn't have had trouble telling them apart.

"That's fine, Saito," Dr Hikari said. "I've been meaning to talk to you as well. The topic is the same as your brother's; a customised navi."

"A what?"

"I'm sorry, Dr Hikari, but what's going on?" Enzan asked. "That's not Netto?"

"Of course not. That's Saito, Netto's older twin. He started school recently alongside Netto."

"Recently?" Enzan raised an eyebrow at him.

Saito shrugged. He didn't know what Enzan was thinking and he didn't care. Dr Hikari explained a moment later anyway, telling Enzan about Saito's sickness and how he was finally well enough to go to school and live a normal life.

Saito's definition of normal was different to this.

"Why do you need to talk to me about customised navis?" Saito asked.

"Does this have anything to do with Rockman's disappearance?" Blues asked. "He wasn't in Netto's PET."

"I'm afraid that Rockman won't be returning. I needed to talk to Netto about possibly taking on Zero as his navi."

"Zero. The virus," Enzan said flatly.

"He's a navi now," Saito countered, annoyed. Blues had been there so Enzan should know this. Zero posed no danger. "Zero and Netto... they might actually make a good team."

"Not as good as Rockman and Netto," Enzan huffed.

"What about Rockman?" Blues asked again, not satisfied with Dr Hikari's previous answer.

Dr Hikari waved them off, searching his desk for something. Saito waited and ignored the glares being sent his way. He wasn't going to answer any of Enzan's questions unless he asked them nicely. As for Blues' questions, maybe Rockman could answer them that night.

Dr Hikari emerged from his drawers with a black PET in his hand and a cry of victory.

"Saito, I'd like you to look after this."

Saito stared at the PET in his hands. It reminded him of someone, even though the navi symbol hadn't been filled in.

"What's it for?"

"You'll see. I know it's not ideal but, you will have to get a customised navi sooner or later. I believe I have someone in mind but I want you to hold onto that empty PET for now."

Saito stared at it. If it was empty, there was no reason to keep it on him. Right, into his drawer at home it would go.

"Don't lose it and keep it on you. It has your medical history installed on it."

Saito slouched his shoulders. He didn't need a PET to hold his information. He could look after his own medical history. Dr Hikari ignored the pout his son was sending his way and grabbed another disk from his desk.

"And these are the files I promised you," he said as he gave the disk to Enzan, who took them with a serious nod.

* * *

Just when Saito thought it was over and he could go home, Dr Hikari pulled out a small black band.

"What's that, Papa?"

"It's a heart monitor." Dr Hikari placed it on his wrist, right above his pulse. He showed him how to place it and let him adjust to the feel. Saito spared a glance at Enzan, who was watching their interaction closely. "You're able to be more active now which means that there's a chance you might trigger something we didn't catch during your check ups."

"And the heart monitor is to catch whatever this is?" Saito questioned. He wondered if Papa was talking about being able to be Rockman or something else.

It took a moment for Dr Hikari to respond. "Should your heart beat out of control or stop, it'll alert us."

Saito stared at the little black band on his wrist. It's little light flashed in time with his heartbeat. He felt fine and everyone assured him that the weight and thumping in his chest was normal. Navis felt a constant buzz from their core, not a thump, thump.

"Do you still have heart troubles, Saito?" Blues asked.

Saito's head lopped to the side as he thought. "I don't think I do?"

"You're all clear so far," Dr Hikari said. "But, better to be safe than sorry."

* * *

Netto was amused as Saito told him about meeting Enzan that afternoon. He was also interested in the news that Papa was looking to give him Zero.

"I thought Zero was working in SciLabs?"

"Maybe Papa pulled some strings to get a navi we both know? I mean, I feel better about Zero helping you out than I do about Papa possibly making you a new navi."

"Same," Netto said with a nod. "Do you want to try and find Blues online tonight?"

Saito nodded. He might want to punch Enzan but Blues was a good rival and he enjoyed meeting up with the other navi.

"What kind of navi do you think Papa's getting for you?" Netto mused. "I mean, the only other navi I can think of who doesn't have an operator and would be open to maybe having one is Bubbleman."

Saito thought about the over the top, 'evil henchman' with a verbal tic that was Bubbleman. He groaned and dropped back onto Netto's bed.

"He better not. I'll escape to the net forever if he does."

Netto cackled. "You could always get Shademan!"

The vampiric evil boss navi was not a better option. Saito threw a pillow at Netto and refused to even consider it. Even though he had stopped laughing, Netto didn't stop grinning at him. Saito flopped down onto the bed and closed his eyes, trying to will himself asleep and to the net. As if sensing this, Netto let him lie there.

Saito was certain he felt a tingle in him and the net open up before his body fell asleep but he couldn't be sure.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

* * *

As Saito had expected, Blues sought Rockman out. Rockman had wandered down towards the more dangerous levels of the net to fight viruses. He was taking down a particularly nasty one when a slashing blade interrupted the battle.

The virus exploded and the red sword navi straightened up and glared at Rockman from behind his dark visor.

"Enzan and I heard an interesting piece of information at SciLabs today."

"It's about me no longer being Netto's navi, right?" Blues nodded. "It's true."

"It's true," Netto backed Rockman up, his face appearing behind the blue navi. Enzan appeared behind the red navi, looking grouchy.

"This is a prank, right?" he said in a disapproving tone. It was difficult to remember that they were the same age, as Enzan sounded a lot older when he spoke like that.

Blues caught Rockman's eye and Rockman shook his head. No, it was not a joke.

"What about all that 'friendship' nonsense you sent our way?" Enzan demanded to know. "I guess that's just easy to throw away."

"Hey! That's uncalled for!" Rockman spouted.

"Netto's replacing you and you're okay with that?"

Rockman recoiled. "I-" What could he say to that? He was okay with it? But, he didn't want to stop being Rockman. He didn't want to leave Netto.

He glanced up at Netto, feeling guilty for hesitating. Netto smiled softly at him. Netto didn't care what form his brother took, Rockman was Saito and Saito was still Rockman. At their core, they were the same to him.

"Don't talk to him like that," Netto said to Enzan, the soft smile giving way to a furious frown. "Papa's the one giving me another navi. Rockman's had no choice. Besides, there's nothing wrong with having more than one friend."

"Ridiculous," Enzan huffed. Blues agreed with him.

"I believe you said the same thing about our friendship as navi and operator. I guess we'll just have to prove it again." He grinned at Enzan. He was stubborn enough to make it work just to spite Enzan.

Shifting into a battle stance, Rockman presented the challenge.

Blues gave his small, signature smile as he too shifted into a battle stance.

* * *

On the school desk in front of Saito was the PET the school issued him with. In the bag sitting open on his lap was the PET his father had given him. Saito wondered who would call it home. If he even wanted someone to call it home. He knew that Netto still had Rockman's PET on him. Somehow Saito just knew it. But the other PET would join it soon, the one housing Zero.

Saito slouched against the desk. He didn't want any navi to be around him all the time. He couldn't imagine having a bond with anyone other than Netto.

Saito closed his eyes. Although he wasn't trying very hard, he managed to escape to the net.

"Rockman!" Roll called, running over and wrapping him in a tight hug. Ready this time, Rockman returned the hug.

"Hey Roll!"

"Rockman?" Netto questioned, his face appearing over Roll. He must have been looking through Meiru's PET.

"Hey Netto!" he said happily, as if he hadn't been sitting a couple of feet away from his brother the whole morning. "I thought I would visit before classes start!"

Netto seemed a worried about that for a moment before smiling. "Cool!" Although, he did seek a glance at Saito's body to check that it was okay.

* * *

Saito felt out of place with Netto's friends. He sat through lunch just listening to them talk about what happened the previous day. However, it warmed his heart a little to have Netto immediately dash to his desk once the end of day bell rang.

"Come on! We're going to go visit Papa!"

"Okay, okay," Saito said, slowly getting up and grabbing his bag. He spared a glance at everyone else. Meiru had a piano lesson that afternoon; Roll had told them, so she couldn't come. And if Meiru wasn't coming, then Yaito and Dekao wouldn't.

While they would be able to speak freely, something in Saito rebelled at that. He walked over to the others.

"Do you want to come to SciLab with us?" he asked.

Saito waited, ignoring the wide-eyed and surprised stares. Their navis answered before they could.

"Thank you for your invitation," Glyde said. "However, Miss Yaito has a meeting with her father about the company."

"Dekao also has plans!" Gutsman announced. "Chisao is home from school."

Saito nodded his understanding. Chisao went to a boarding school for young, genius children. Dekao would want to hang out with the brother he rarely got to see.

Netto was also smiling but Saito wasn't sure why.

"You don't want them to come?" he questioned in confusion, once they were out of ear shot.

Netto was surprised by the question. "I don't care either way, I just thought it was good that you spoke to them on your own. I was starting to think that you believed they're figure out you're Rockman just by you opening your mouth to speak to them."

"You don't think they will? Didn't Yaito skip two years because she's smart?"

Netto laughed. "Yeah! But your situation is unique. No one's going to believe it without proof, let alone think it's an option."

Saito stared at his brother. Netto made a good point and Saito was surprised that he hadn't thought of that before.

* * *

Netto wanted to talk to everyone they passed while Saito smiled, greeted them and exchanged some pleasantries before pulling his brother along.

"Papa!" they called in unison as they walked into Dr Hikari's office. Their father looked up from his computer, startled by their entrance but glad to see them nonetheless.

"Boys! Come in."

Netto bounced across the room. "Saito said you might have a navi for me?"

"Yes, we'll get to that." Dr Hikari looked at his eldest. "Saito, did something happen last night?"

Saito shook his head. Dr Hikari pointed to his heart monitor wristband.

"There was an increase in your heart rate last night. Can you think of anything that might have caused it?"

Last night, Saito immediately thought of his battle with Blues. He had been running quickly, his programming assessing the situation in high speeds. His increased processing might have given his body an increased heart rate.

"Maybe it was your nightmare?" Netto said smoothly.

"Maybe," Saito responded hesitantly. Mostly because he wasn't completely comfortable with the lie.

"It's possible," Dr Hikari said thoughtfully. "Perhaps I should include some kind of system for you to tell the band that the heart rate isn't an issue. But that might make it possible for it to miss an attack."

"What about sport?" Netto questioned. "Those classes will get Saito's heart rate up too."

"You're right." Dr Hikari sighed. "I've got a few months to work out the kinks. Saito hasn't been cleared for sport classes yet."

"Lucky."

Saito rolled his eyes at his brother. "You like sport."

"Not all the time."

"I should find a way to connect the heart monitor to your PET. Once there's a navi inside it, situational occurrences shouldn't set it off."

Saito's chest tightened at the mention of his getting a navi.

"Set what off?" Netto asked, glancing at his twin.

"The alarm I have synced to it."

"Wait. You're saying that if Saito's heartbeat gets too quick then you'll be alerted?"

Dr Hikari nodded, although he did clarify that it'd also send an alert if Saito's heart slowed. It seemed that, without trying, their father had found a way to interfere with their late night net adventures.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

* * *

Saito decided to go and get a drink from the vending machine. He was a little stressed with the news that the item around his wrist might expose his secret to his father.

Left alone with their father, Netto grinned and asked about the navi his father was giving him.

Zero was summoned to the computer, face as unreadable as ever. It looked like an angry mask. His blond hair spiked out of the red and blue helmet like a cape.

Zero nodded to Netto before jumping over to the PET.

"Do you really want to be my navi?" Netto asked him.

"For now," Zero responded softly. He glanced at Dr Hikari. "I have not been told what happened to Rockman. No matter how much I ask."

"Oh. I suppose we can tell you that. Right Papa?" Netto gave his father the big, puppy dog eyes. He knew that Papa was willing to give in when he acted like this. "I mean, Zero is going to be staying with us."

Dr Hikari hesitated before nodding. It seemed that he couldn't think of a counter to Netto.

"Rockman is Netto's brother," he said as an explanation. "Saito was sick and the only way we could give him a life was by syncing him with the navi shell which became Rockman. Now that Saito is better, the shell is no longer needed."

Zero was silent as he digested that. "...I see," he finally answered.

Netto didn't like the silence. It made him itch. "Okay! So, I'll take Zero and head home! Unless you have something for us to do?" he asked the last bit hopefully as he still enjoyed helping out in the labs.

"No, Netto. Go and get to know Zero. I'm sure you two will be inseparable partners soon."

Netto nodded and ducked out of the room.

"Is something wrong?" Saito asked when he found his brother outside the lab. He had a drink in his hand which was already half-empty.

Zero appeared on the PET screen. "You used to be Rockman?" he asked.

Saito gripped his drink a little tighter. It was better than accidentally dropping it like he was afraid of doing. "You're the first who's asked that," he responded.

"That's not an answer."

"I am. Is that a problem?"

"Not really. It's just strange to think that I'll not see you as a blue navi anymore. I guess we won't be able to netbattle again."

"I rather like it when we're not netbattling," Saito responded as their first netbattle had been because Zero was a virus. Dr Hikari has only just managed to find a way to convert him into a navi before Zero had to be deleted for the safety of the net.

"Being friends is better," Zero agreed with a nod.

"Besides, it's not like Rockman's completely gone," Netto responded with a grin. Zero gave him a confused look.

"Later," Saito said, glancing around at the cameras.

* * *

Saito and Netto agreed that it would be easier to show Zero. Sitting down on the floor of Netto's room, Saito closed his eyes. Netto was confused because Saito usually had to lie down and go to sleep.

"Ta-dah!" Rockman said, appearing on the computer. Netto glanced from the screen to the closed eyes of Saito's face.

"Wow," he said, poking Saito's cheek. Rockman shuddered as he could still feel that.

"Isn't that my line?" Zero questioned, dropping in behind Rockman. He looked the smaller, blue navi up and down. "Surely you have seen this before?"

"Not without Saito lying down and taking the time to fall asleep," Netto admitted. Although there was that one time in class.

"Anyway," Saito interrupted, distracting them from questioning him. "I'm still able to become Rockman, I just can't be Netto's navi during the school day."

"And having to leave your body alone to do it isn't very safe," Zero said thoughtfully. "Although it is good that you have not left us." Rockman grinned and Zero pulled his sword. "How about a warm up?"

Rockman's hand turned into his buster gun in response.

* * *

Saito's stomach was left back with Netto as he sped his bike down the hill on the way to school. He skimmed onto the road, keeping an eye out for cars as he dropped down towards the streets below.

Netto rushed up right behind him, his rollerblades not able to keep up with the bike during this part of the route to school.

"It seems you're feeling better," Netto commented once he finally caught up. Zero glanced between the two brothers. The twins hadn't missed the way Zero was taking note of their interactions. However, he had promised to keep Saito's secret, even from Dr Hikari.

"What do you mean?" Saito asked. He hadn't received any injuries while fighting with Zero last night. Plus, he had managed to keep his heart-rate down so he wouldn't trigger the bracelet.

"You've been strange since running into Blues a couple of days ago. Sure, you had a good fight with him but still, something was wrong. Did Enzan or Blues do something?"

"No," Saito responded. He was confused. Was something wrong? "Nothing's wrong either."

Netto didn't seem convinced but he shrugged it off for now.

* * *

As soon as they arrived, Netto was introducing Zero around. Roll seemed interested in getting to know Zero better now that he was joining them regularly. Meiru seemed annoyed that Rockman was being replaced. Netto, and Zero, both reassured her that Rockman knew about it and was okay with Zero looking after Netto.

"I guess he does need someone looking after him," Meiru commented, to Saito's amusement. "Do you know who your father is giving you as a navi?"

Saito shrugged.

"We have no idea," Netto answered for him. He looked to Zero. "Do you have any ideas?"

Zero shrugged. "I only know that, whoever it is, isn't currently on the SciLab network. Dr Hikari sent out a Mr. Prog and it still hadn't returned by the time I left."

"It still hadn't returned?" Netto and Meiru questioned in unison.

"Where does this navi hang out?" Netto wondered.

"Probably the UraNet," Saito said. "Unless it was incompetent and got caught in a firewall or something, it should have found the navi and come back by now. The UraNet is the most likely place for a Mr. Prog to get waylaid."

Meiru looked surprised. Whether it was because of what Saito said or that he knew it in the first place, they couldn't be sure.

"Incompetent? You don't like the Mr. Progs?"

"Do you?" Saito countered Zero's question.

Zero shrugged. "They harm no one and they can be helpful."

"Right. 'Helpful'." Saito couldn't help thinking of all the Mr. Progs that he'd had to help over the years. But, "even if most of them need help from a navi from time to time, I guess some are good. I like the one in my PET."

"Your PET?" Meiru questioned.

Saito froze, realising what he had just said. Thankfully, Zero thought faster on his feet than either of the twins.

"Dr Hikari has gifted Saito with a PET, in preparation for a navi."

Saito nodded enthusiastically at this.

"Does the PET give away any hints about the navi you'll get?"

Saito shook his head. To help with explaining, he took the PET out. It was black with yellow trimming.

"It's blank. Like Papa didn't want us figuring it out," Saito sighed.

Meiru commented that maybe he would know soon since Dr Hikari had handed Zero over the Netto. Saito hoped she was wrong and the PET would stay empty.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

* * *

At lunch, Yaito cornered everyone before they could leave.

"Who's free this afternoon?" she asked, hands on hips and looking ready to mobilise an army.

Meiru glanced at Roll. "Meiru is," Roll responded.

After Roll gave Meiru's answer, Dekao chimed in with, "me! I'm free as well!"

Saito and Netto exchanged looks. Saito smiled and motioned for Netto to go. After all, they hadn't anything planned either.

"I guess I'm free as well."

Yaito turned to Saito. "And you?"

Saito was taken aback. "Me? I-I guess I'm free too."

She nodded as this was good. "That's everyone then," she said. "Glyde!"

Glyde appeared on the screen. "Ah-hem. Miss Yaito would like everyone to come to the clubhouse this afternoon to test some new games from her father's company."

"Play testing?" Saito questioned in surprise. He smiled as it sounded like fun.

"Awesome!" Netto cheered.

"I'm so there!" Dekao grunted.

Meiru smiled. She didn't care so much for the games but she loved spending time with everyone. "Sounds like a plan."

"Are you sure you want me there?" Saito questioned quietly as everyone moved to get their lunch.

Yaito nodded and said in a slightly terrifying way, "you'd better not back out."

"Understood."

* * *

Netto couldn't stop grinning at him.

"You're really looking forward to play testing those games," Saito mused.

Netto laughed. Of course he was! But he was also happy that his brother had been invited as well. Not that he was going to tell Saito that.

"It seems I will need to get to know the other navis better," Zero mused. "Saito, do you have any information you can give me?"

"Shouldn't you get to know them yourself?"

"Perhaps. But it's faster and easier if I know which navis I can have a good spar with and which won't want to fight me."

That Saito could do. "Gutsman is a good choice. Dekao likes to battle and Gutsman isn't going to say no. He's pretty skilled but not really on our level."

Netto snorted a laugh. Sure, Gutsman and Dekao made an interesting, but not formidable, force.

"But Roll and Glyde don't like to fight often. Yaito uses all rare chips so fighting Glyde is sadly a waste. Roll though..."

"Roll's a monster," Netto said quietly. The little pink navi was a terror on the battlefield when she wanted to be.

"Too bad she doesn't fight a lot," Saito sighed. "I think I've battled her once or twice, depending on if you count 'catching my breath' as ending a battle or not."

"Catching your breath?" Zero questioned in an amused tone.

"We weren't ready for the force that is Roll."

"We're just lucky she got worried after walloping me in the first couple of moments. She gave us time to compose ourselves," Saito said.

"Although we were still freaking out all battle."

Zero nodded to himself, mind forming possibilities on how to get Roll to battle him at least once.

* * *

The clubhouse was still as overdone as ever. It was designed in the size and style of an open-plan house, complete with kitchen. A family could live here comfortably. But that was Yaito for you.

The games she had them playtesting were interesting. There were a few of them. There was one where their navis battled each other in scenery from history. As there wasn't much else to the game aside from adding background to regular navi battles, the 'game' was quickly put aside.

"Ooh, soccer!" Netto held up his prize, a soccer team management game with a championship mode. He wanted to form his team and start winning games.

"Oh great," Meiru sighed, not at all enthused.

"Maybe we could play this one later?" Saito suggested, echoing Meiru's sigh. While he didn't mind soccer-themed games, he really didn't like how Netto acted when he lost a game.

"Okay, what do you want to play?" Netto asked.

Saito looked over the games, having no clue what he would like to play. Usually he just played two player games with Netto.

The lights flickered.

Dekao made a fearful whine in his throat as everyone tensed.

"That shouldn't happen," Yaito mused. "This place generates its own electricity."

The lights flickered again. Saito felt some kind of buzz from the computer. Shouts came from all the PETs, except Zero's, as the other navis felt something head their way and tried to warn their operators.

Yaito immediately started beefing up security. "Nothing should be able to get through this," she announced proudly, a moment before Glyde announced that the first level of security had been torn through.

The room plunged into darkness, the only light coming from their PETs and the main computer screen.

"This is bad," Dekao kept ranting. He was panicking and tried to escape, only to find the door locked.

"Looks like whatever it is doesn't want you to leave," Zero commented.

"We're going to have to fight," Netto said, glancing at Saito. Whatever this was, it was big and Rockman wasn't about to let his friends fight it alone.

A screech sounded from the computer's speakers. A dark orb exploded at the edge of the digital platform.

The navis huddled together, ready for battle as a figure in a brown cloak descended. The figure's main feature was the two black spiked fins with yellow accents colouring the inside of them sticking out of the sides of his head.

"Forte," Saito said, feeling a heavy chill in the middle of his chest. His friends couldn't fight Forte!

Zero grinned and held his blade arm ready. Forte stared down at him from the point he was hovering at.

"You think you can challenge me. You couldn't even defeat him."

"Him?" Roll questioned. She flinched as Forte turned his glare to her. Meiru clutched her PET tightly, hoping that her navi would be alright.

"...Rockman."

Saito swallowed, finding it difficult to do anything more than just watch this unfold. He couldn't focus enough to jump to the computer.

"Why are you here?" Yaito demanded to know.

Forte swung out a hand, dark energy crackling around it. "I do not answer to humans."

"Considering that you've trapped us, I would say that you should at least answer us," Meiru chimed in.

"Why are you here?" Roll repeated Yaito's question. She jumped away quickly as a blast rocked the ground right beside her. Bits flew everywhere and there was a hole in the platform once the smoke cleared.

"Roll!" Meiru and Saito called out in unison. Saito flinched as someone grabbed his arm. Netto pulled him away from everyone. Before he could ask if Saito was going to fight, Forte answered Roll's question.

"Dr Hikari sent me a message," Forte growled softly. "Asking me to be navi for his eldest son."

Saito flinched back as Forte glared at him through the screen. His hands clenched by his sides as he waited out Forte's speech.

"I wanted to make it clear that I do not follow the orders of humans. I will not lower myself to taking orders from one who can't even defeat me in battle."

"Excuse me?" Saito said, his voice raising to an offended screech.

The lights flickered ominously before they were plunged back into darkness again.

"The best way to send my message is to eliminate the proposed operator. And you won't even be able to fight back this time... Rockman."

"Saito!" Netto cried out, holding his brother back from doing something stupid like punching the screen.

"I can still fight you, Forte!" Saito shouted back.

"What is going on?" Yaito asked Meiru in a whisper. Meiru shrugged. Roll didn't even know.

A sudden beam of light shot towards Forte. The dark navi flew out of the way just in time.

Zero held his blade pointed towards Forte.

"I think you forget, Saito. I can fight for you too," Zero declared. "And I'm looking forward to taking this guy down."

"I'm going in," Saito said to Netto. He couldn't let Zero and his friends fight without him.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

* * *

Saito knew he was getting weird looks as he sat down and closed his eyes. He reached for the familiar ability which would link him to the net and his physical body only lightly flinched as he uploaded into the area where Zero and Forte were fighting.

"Rock?" Roll questioned in surprise.

Netto fumbled with Rockman's PET in one hand and Zero's in another. Once the PET was plugged in, Rockman was able to access more power and Netto would be able to send him battle chips.

"You're leaving me here to operate two navis, Saito," Netto pointed out.

"I'm fine without an operator!" Zero said as he jumped out of the way of a partially large explosion of dark energy and countered with a slashing sword beam.

"Is he serious?" Meiru questioned in shock. "He'll be deleted."

"Actually, Zero's right. He can fight without me. Although, I can slot in some recovery chips if he needs them," Netto said.

"I will let you know when my energy is low."

Rockman grabbed Roll and pulled her back as fragmented data came flying their way.

"We can't stay here!" Glyde said.

"We can't leave!" Roll reminded him. Forte had locked the system down. "How did you get here?" she asked Rockman.

"I'm not entirely sure," Rockman responded. "But whatever it is, Forte isn't able to stop me from moving in and out." He dashed forward.

"Area steal," Netto told him before sending the chip data. Rockman's world blurred as the area steal activated and pulled him forward. He was skilled at taking his surroundings quickly, sensing where everyone was before making his move.

"Cannon," Netto said as he slot in the data and sent it to Rockman. Rockman felt his buster hand start to shift and form. It was a tingle which he was happy to feel again. "HiCannon." Rockman's other hand glowed with power now. "M-Cannon!"

With a grin, Rockman put the two cannons together and felt a surge of energy and power.

"Do you really think that will work on me?" Forte questioned as Rockman opened fire. The explosions rocked the network.

"Careful!" Yaito yelled to Netto. "Don't bring the whole thing down!"

Meiru glanced to where Saito was sitting and noticed something. "Hey," she said, "is his bracelet supposed to do that?"

The power of the program advance ran out and Rockman jumped behind Zero, just in time to hear Netto question Meiru on ' _what bracelet?_ '.

"Saito's. It's flashing really quickly."

"Uh oh." A shot of panic rushed through Rockman. He bet the bracelet picked that up. "I forgot about that."

"We're going to have to tell Papa why your heart-rate went up," Netto said as he fiddled with his chips.

Rockman felt an impact to his side as Zero shoved him out of the way. The area around them lit up in explosions and the floor shattered.

"How about the truth?" Zero grunted as he stood up. "Netto, tell me you have some kind of plan because I don't think I can keep this fight going."

"I'm working on it!" Netto said back.

"This is bad," Rockman commented as he looked around. The area around them was shattered. It didn't hamper Forte at all, who was able to float. Zero glared at the open floor, unable to move anywhere.

Rockman tested the edge of the boarder and found that his airshoes still worked. He fired a couple of shots at Forte, who just bat them away. Even though Zero had broken his aura barrier, basic shots like that wouldn't do a thing.

"Weak. Do you really think you can control me, Saito Hikari?"

Rockman grit his teeth. He could hear his friends questioning again as the initial comments Forte had made had been shrugged off the face or a more immediate danger.

"Do you think I asked for any of this?" Rockman roared back.

"He's right," Zero said. Rockman didn't like that Zero was calling attention to himself when he couldn't move from where he was standing without risking a tumble into oblivion. "Rockman had no idea who Dr Hikari had lined up."

"Rockman, I think I have a plan," Netto whispered. He had three chips in hand.

Rockman nodded, beyond ready to end this.

"I don't know what you know about this, but I'm taking you down either way!" he shouted, feeling his body hum with energy.

"Zero, do you think you can get everyone else out while Forte is distracted?" Netto asked.

Zero nodded and jumped back, off the crumbling area. He moved towards the other navis and started giving out orders to them. If they helped, he figured escaping would be easy while Rockman distracted Forte.

* * *

Forte glared down at Rockman. He was silent as he got ready to end this. His hand shifted into a glowing purple sword.

"You won't get a chance to use it," Netto said, slipping in the first of his three chips. " _Geddon1_. I'm sending you two."

Rockman was surprised by the choice but he trusted his brother. The power of _Geddon1_ was thrown out of him, cracking places in the previously undamaged area around Forte. The second chip shattered the area, leaving a multitude of holes in the area. Now there were no safe places to stand.

Forte barely had a chance to react, although he was curious about what exactly the twins' plan was, before Netto sent the data for the final chip.

" _Snakegg3_." This must have been a chip Netto borrowed from Yaito's collection, as he didn't own one.

Rockman's heart stopped for a moment as the power to summon a multitude of snakes rushed through him. Snakegg was an interesting chip as the snakes could only arise out of cracked holes in the area.

And arise they did. Snake heads poked out of all the holes both Forte and Rockman had created. There must have been hundreds of the little things.

They all attacked Forte, bringing the navi to the ground and sapping his health before he could make a counter attack.

Once the snakes cleared out, the area was silent. Forte was a tattered figure on the ground. His brown cloak rustled in a non-existent wind.

"At least he's not deleted," Netto said, breathing a sigh of relief.

Although Rockman was relieved as well, he was also worried. He carefully stepped over towards the figure on the ground, expecting him to jump forward at any moment. When Forte didn't move, Rockman knelt down beside him and placed a hand on the navi. There had to be some kind of punishment for Forte's actions today, something aside from deletion.

* * *

Saito opened his eyes to the bright lights of Yaito's large clubhouse. His eyes burned and he instinctively closed them. His legs ached and trembled as he stood up. They didn't respond very well and he could feel where his legs had been pressed against the ground and his feet.

"Why is my body not responding?" he asked Netto.

"Have your legs fallen asleep?"

"What? Why would they do that?"

"If you don't move them for a long while, they go to sleep," Meiru explained while Netto rolled his eyes at Saito. "And they will probably sting in a couple of minutes as they wake up."

Saito shook his head. Human bodies were so strange.

"What happened to Forte?" Yaito demanded to know. It seemed that Glyde and the others had managed to escape into their PETs.

"I want to know what's up with Rockman," Meiru said with her hands on her hips. She was glaring at Saito, meaning she had realised there was a connection between the two.

"Uhh," the twins looked at each other. How to explain?

* * *

 **Author's note:** I guess we find out how Forte knew about Rockman/Saito next chapter. I also took the strategy that Netto used against him from a video I saw one where someone beat Forte in the game in something like three seconds using those three chips. It's pretty spectacular.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

* * *

Saito stared down at the PET in his hands like it was going to explode any moment. To be fair, there was always that possibility.

"It was nice knowing you," Netto said when he heard what Rockman had done after Forte was defeated.

"Thanks," Saito responded drily.

Glyde shook his head. "How would you react if someone forcibly confined you to a new PET? I do believe Forte will attempt to destroy you and that you should hand it over to the proper authorities."

Saito stared at the red swordsman. "Does a body count as a new PET? Because I'm living that right now. Forte can learn to deal."

"I can't believe Dr Hikari thought this was a good idea," Zero mused. "Forte and Saito will probably kill each other or delete each other trying."

"Explain the body thing," Yaito demanded. "It's obvious that there's some kind of connection between you and Rockman-"

"They're synced," Netto said, "considering Rockman was built to be Saito." He received a lot of blank stares. "Rockman's form was created to house Saito's mind. They sync together, making Saito into Rockman on the net."

"We're one and the same," Saito said. "Does that help?"

"Aside from the absurdity of the situation, it's a passable explanation," Yatio mused. She glared at Saito. "And it really is absurd."

"I think it makes sense," Roll said. "Dr Hikari could probably explain better." Everyone silently agreed with that, although they doubted they would be able to understand any explanation the scientist would give.

"We won't be handing Forte over to the authorities either," Netto pointed out. Even Saito looked scandalised. Netto took the PET from his older twin's hands and dropped Zero's PET into them to replace it.

"Why not?" Dekao demanded to know. "He blasted Yaito's computer! And he hurt Gutsman!"

"We're fixing the computer!" Roll pointed out as she moved some data back into place. Zero huffed as he helped and Glyde was focused on replicating destroyed data from backups. Gutsman was the only navi not present as he had shielded Glyde and Roll from Forte's initial attacks and needed to recover.

"And he's been punished," Meiru pointed out. "Rockman connected him to a PET."

"It's not hard to break something like that though," Saito pointed out.

"Just don't let him on the net," Meiru said. Roll frowned sadly as that didn't seem fair.

"A bond to a PET is difficult to break on our side," Glyde pointed out. "However, normally a navi is built for their PET and operator, not forced into it." His tone said that he wasn't very impressed with Saito's choice to confine Forte.

"I guess we won't know until he wakes up," Roll said to Glyde as she scanned some loose data. "Until then..." She looked out over the destroyed cyberspace.

* * *

Yaito had some older games which didn't require a navi or cyberspace connected to the net to play, even if most of them were 1 to 2 players and no more. Everyone gathered on or around the couch in order to watch and take turns.

* * *

Meiru pulled Saito away as she went to check on Roll.

"You know, you should have told us." Her tone was scolding, reminding Saito of being lectured by a teacher.

Saito raised an eyebrow. "How?"

That stumped her. She stared at him for a couple of moments before figuring out a response.

"You could have just told us you were Rockman! Or showed us! Something!"

Saito shook his head. "I'm sorry I couldn't but you know now. I'll talk to Roll later on if you two want more of an explanation."

* * *

Dekao cornered Saito when he went to get a drink from the fridge.

"Fight me."

Saito blinked in confusion. Dekao didn't move, arms crossed over his chest and a big grin on his face. "Did you just challenge me to a fight?"

"You're a navi turned human, right? I reckon you'd be a challenge."

"Firstly, it's a human turned navi and back. Secondly, I'm about as strong as Netto like this." Although, since he had continued his muscle exercises from the time he woke up, he was slowly getting stronger than Netto.

Dekao made a disappointed noise. He already knew he could beat Netto in a one-on-one physical fight.

* * *

Saito groaned and leaned over the top of the couch.

"Isn't it my turn yet?" he questioned the room as a whole.

"No!" everyone responded.

"Netto's died twice." Everyone else had switched after dying.

"Netto's gotten further than the rest of us," Yaito pointed out. "And I want to see how far he can get."

"I still have lives left, Saito."

Saito groaned. At that moment, the door burst open. Dr Hikari stood in the doorway, breathing heavily.

"Papa?" the twins questioned in unison.

Dr Hikari stared at Saito. "You're okay?"

"Yes?" Saito questioned. "Papa, why are you here?"

Dr Hikari pointed to the black band Saito was still wearing. It was blinking at a normal pace. "Your heart rate went dangerously height."

"Did it?" he questioned obliviously. It was easy enough to do since he wasn't certain how high his heart rate had gone or even what made a dangerous heart rate.

Dekao shook his head. "You should have just left fighting Forte to our navis."

"Forte? He was here?"

There were affirmations all around, although Saito stayed quiet as he didn't want to incriminate himself. He probably shouldn't scold his father for messaging Forte in front of his friends either.

One comment from Meiru had all three Hikaris' attention. "Rockman took care of it."

Dr Hikari was silent as he tried to make sense of that. "Rockman? How?"

"He fought Forte and placed him in a PET," Yaito explained haughtily. "It would have been nice to have been told about Forte being contacted, Dr Hikari. He has trashed my family's servers."

"I apologise." Dr Hikari turned back to Meiru. "Are you sure it was Rockman? I mean, it's not possible."

"What do mean?" Meiru said, looking around confused.

"It was most certainly Rockman, Dr Hikari. Saito explained about he kept his synced status with the net as Rockman," Glyde commented.

"Should he not have?" Meiru asked as Saito wished to sink into the back of the sofa and into oblivion.

Dr Hikari turned to his eldest twin. "Saito, care to explain?"

"Not really, no."

"Try again. What's this about Rockman?"

Meiru glanced at Netto and asked if Dr Hikari knew about Rockman. Netto shook his head, since it had been a secret.

"I know there were theories about how you might still connect to the net more, having been raised there, but still, when you woke up, your mother and I thought the connection severed."

Zero shook his head with a sigh. "Rather than being severed, it seems to have made a way for both Rockman and Saito to exist."

Dr Hikari stared at Saito for a couple of moments before glancing at Netto. Netto looked away the moment their eyes met and Saito hadn't stopped looking anywhere but at him.

"If you kids will excuse me, I'll be taking my sons home. It seems we have a lot to discuss."

Netto took Saito's hand and gave it a squeeze as he said goodbye to everyone. He wasn't going to leave Saito alone to explain things to Papa, even if he wanted to finish the game.

There were whispered apologies as their friends realised that Dr Hikari hadn't known and they had accidentally spilled the secret.

"It's okay," Saito said softly before they left. "See you tomorrow."


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes: A warning.** Forte will be a little out of character. But, he did grow to see Rockman as a rival in the manga (and the anime? Maybe. It's harder to tell) so he might be more willing to listen to the twins than anyone else. The same warning sort of applies to Zero but I was introduced to Zero in the Megaman Zero games where he's not as... outgoing as he seems to be in the Megaman X games.

* * *

 **Chapter 15**

* * *

"First, how long were you listening?" Dr Hikari said towards Netto. Saito was confused until a voice came from the speakers of the PET.

"How'd you know?" Forte's annoyed voice was tinny in the car.

"I guessed."

Forte didn't respond. Netto glanced at the screen and grinned, keeping it hidden from his brother and father as he took in the pouting navi.

"I think I'm allowed to ask you questions and expect answers, since you attacked my sons."

"Not really, Papa," Netto said. "You did invite him in the first place."

"Yeah," Saito agreed in an annoyed tone. "What did you expect would happen when you invited Forte to be my navi?"

"Navis do not need operators!" Forte growled.

"He's not wrong. He doesn't need an operator."

"But you need a navi, Saito," Dr Hikari pointed out. "And I'd be willing to compensate any navi willing to work with my headstrong sons."

"What?" the twins both gasped in unison. Headstrong? And what did he mean by 'compensate'?

"Especially since it seems like Saito wants to be his own navi."

Saito winced.

"Good," Forte huffed.

"Actually, Rockman's still attached to his PET. It's why I was able to send chip data to him."

"Netto," Saito hissed, hoping his brother would get the hint and be quiet. They didn't need Dr Hikari taking away their PET.

"Zero, did you know about this?" Dr Hikari asked.

"Um," the navi in the red and gold PET glanced at Saito before responding. Saito's pleading look stalled his tongue for a moment. "The twins were upfront about Saito's ability to be Rockman as I would be around them 24/7."

Dr Hikari didn't respond to that beyond a nod to show that he had heard the response. He didn't seem happy about it though.

* * *

"Netto! Wake up!" Saito yelled at his brother.

Netto jolted awake, grabbing his clothes from Saito's outstretched hand. Saito was dressed to go as well, except he wasn't going to school. Papa had said that Saito would need to go through testing to make sure the link to Rockman wasn't hurting him. Worst of all, Netto wasn't allowed to skip school with Saito to be there for his twin. It sucked.

"Today's going to be boring," Saito sighed. Although they both knew that he was used to such tests. But 'used to' didn't mean he liked them.

Netto felt a pang of guilt for being a little glad he wasn't going. Both Rockman and Saito has shown to be frustrating when undergoing long hours of testing. Basically, his brother didn't like standing around doing nothing. He found it boring and made sure everyone knew it.

Netto and Saito ate breakfast and went their separate ways. Netto made sure to quickly grab the PET from the charger before he left.

* * *

Meiru was confused at the lack of twin. Netto quickly explained.

"I guess that's why he didn't tell us," Roll commented with a giggle. "Rockman hates tests."

"Yeah, and he had a lot of them when he became Saito," Netto informed them. "There's a reason Rockman's disappearance and Saito's appearance were spread out. Saito had tons of tests and exercises done to improve his physical health and to make sure he was okay after surgery."

"Maybe I could go visit him later?" Roll questioned.

"Maybe we could all go?" Meiru suggested with a look at Netto.

Netto agreed. He was already planning to run to SciLabs after school anyway.

* * *

"Where's your brother?" Dekao demanded to know the moment they entered the classroom. Netto was suddenly hit with the knowledge that this was his life now; he should get used to the question as people would expect him to come as a set. "Is he too scared to fight me?"

"Of course not!" Netto responded, still not able to take a hit to Saito's reputation. "He could beat you one handed Dekao!"

"I feel like we've been here before," Yaito mused, referring the numerous times Dekao and Netto had argued about their navis. "Also, my father wants to make sure no one was harmed yesterday."

"I'm alright," Meiru said. "Roll is fine as well."

The rest of the group said they were fine. Netto hadn't really spoken with Zero since the day before. Saito had forgot to give Zero's PET back.

"I suspect Zero may have ended up at the bottom of his bag. Saito's really bad at remembering to charge PETs."

"Isn't he a navi too? Shouldn't it be something he'd remember?" Dekao questioned.

"Stupid," Yaito scolded. "Supplying power to a navi is an operator's job. Saito's probably just not used to doing it."

Meiru nodded in agreement. "So, if Saito didn't give Zero back, what are you going to do about a navi today?" she asked Netto.

"Well..." Netto pulled out the PET which he had remembered to charge the night before. Everyone recognised the colouring as the PET which Saito had trapped Forte in.

"You can't be serious," Yaito said.

"Why not? I need a navi and Forte probably needs some time outside of the PET," Netto said.

"And what if he starts destroying the school server?"

"I'll pull him back into the PET. It's a function of a PET to be able to pull it's connected navi back as long as the navi can be reached." It would probably be a good sign if Forte ran out of reach into the Uranet anyway. It would hopefully mean he had given up on destroying them for requesting he be their navi.

The screen of the PET turned on. "I can hear you," Forte complained.

"That makes things easier!" Netto said happily. It threw Forte off a little. He had tried to kill this kid and his navi; not for the first time either, and he was getting treated like this? Like a pet navi?

"If you think I'll do anything for you, human, you're delusional."

Netto shrugged.

* * *

Saito was bored. Not only did the idea of this red liquid coming out of him make him feel queasy but he was stuck here while it happened.

"Okay, done," the doctor said, pulling out the needle. Papa breathed a sigh of relief as he placed a round band-aid onto Saito's arm. He then handed Saito a couple of biscuits.

Maybe this wasn't too bad. Saito liked biscuits. And Mamma had made these.

"Stay here. It'll be at least 15 minutes before we can move onto the next tests," Papa said.

Saito was left alone, munching away on the biscuit and still bored. As a navi, he could look through files and things to keep himself occupied. As a human, there was only his backpack in reach since he wasn't allowed to move around. Not even to the net.

There might be something in his bag to kill his boredom.

"About time!" the navi in his bag called out the moment he opened it. "I've been stuck in here all night."

Saito felt his heart stop. Would his father's tests show that? "Zero?"

"That's right."

Saito pulled out the red and yellow PET. "Does this mean that Netto has Forte?"

"Probably," Zero said with a shrug. "By the way, you forgot to charge this PET. It has just over an hour of power left."

"I'll talk to Papa about a charging station when he comes back," Saito said. "Do you think Netto will be okay with Forte?"

Zero shrugged again. "You put Forte in the PET. Do you really think he can do any damage from there?"

Saito didn't really want to answer that question. He hoped Netto was okay.

* * *

"Look, you just have to go to the teacher's navi and get the file for me to work on," Netto said. He was holding the PET ready to transfer Forte but the stubborn navi wasn't going to do the task.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

* * *

"Please go get the files," Netto said. He even said 'please'. Rockman would be so stunned and impressed right now. However, Rockman was not the navi he was talking to.

"No. I am not your slave, human."

Netto rolled his eyes. The 'human' thing got old fast. "Do I call you navi? No. At least call me 'Netto' to tell me apart from the other humans in the room."

"Sure, human-Netto."

Netto blinked. Forte was smirking. Was that... a joke? Even if it wasn't, it was kind of funny.

"Look, just get me the files. I'll take care of the rest. And I bet you can't get them in five seconds."

Forte took a moment to consider the challenge. It was obvious that Netto was trying to manipulate him into getting the files. But, he couldn't help taking the bait. In four seconds, Netto had the files.

"I'm sure you'll get another chance," Netto said. "Just look at how flustered the teacher navi is though." He chuckled as he pulled Forte from the school network.

* * *

Netto kept Forte off the school network until just before lunch. Even if Forte made a ruckus, they could just plug out and run for it at the bell. Forte watched him scratch his head over simple English problems.

"Help?" Netto whispered to Forte, frustrated when he couldn't figure out the answer. If he didn't finish the work, it would have to be finished at home. He didn't want more homework.

"No."

Netto sighed and gave up. He could just scribble in whatever before going to bed. Maybe he'll get lucky and it'll actually correctly answer the question.

"The questions are simple enough," Forte commented. "Can you really not do them? Don't tell me Rockman did your work for you?"

"No way!" Netto countered quietly. "He'd just tell me to read the question again and-" Netto trailed off as he got his second wind and looked over the questions again. He shot off a reflexive 'thank you' to Forte as he stared scribbling his answer down.

Forte was surprised by the thank you. He turned to see the weak navis from earlier watching him.

"What?"

"I was just thinking that Rockman would be happy. You managed to get Netto working! It's great," the pink one commented with a smile.

"Normally, Rockman's the only one who can get Netto going once he's given up," the tall yellow one said. "With some exceptions of course."

* * *

Mariko Sensei stopped Netto before he left.

"Are you going to be using that navi from now on?" she asked.

Netto glanced down at Forte, an rather fun idea occurring to him.

"Of course!" he responded, smiling at the horrified look no Forte's face. "Even if you don't like him, Ms, I'm going to keep using him."

"Oh no," Mariko Sensei responded. "I don't mind him. He's a good influence on you."

"I am the most powerful navi on the net," Forte grumbled in his PET. "I am power incarnate. A force of darkness. Not a 'good influence'."

"Is everything okay?" Meiru questioned as the muttering from Netto's PET could be heard, even if they couldn't make out exactly what Forte was saying.

"I think so. Let's go see Saito."

* * *

Saito looked up excitedly as the door opened and his friends walked in.

"Oh thank goodness!" he said, moving to jump off the table.

"Saito, stay," Dr Hikari ordered.

With an annoyed frown on his face, Saito slid back into his spot.

"Papa," he whined.

Meiru giggled. He was starting to sound like Netto.

Dr Hikari didn't budge. He continued giving his son a look which said 'listen or you're in trouble mister'. Saito looked at his feet, swinging them a little and trying to look sad.

"Yeah, that's not going to work," Netto spoke from experience, hopping onto the table next to his twin. "How was your day?"

"Boring!" Saito huffed and he looked over at everyone else. "Hi. Is the school intact?"

The gave each other confused looks before Forte piped up from Netto's hands;

"You'll be pleased to know that I left that human prison as it was."

"Ah Forte. Netto, if you wouldn't mind handing him over."

Netto gripped the PET, holding it out of his father's hands. "I would mind. What do you want him for?"

"He can't go back on the net."

"Yes, he can. Besides I'm keeping him."

"YOU'RE WHAT?" Saito and Forte said in unison.

"When did you decide this!" the angry navi said.

"Netto, what about Zero?"

"I'm okay staying with Saito," Zero said, quickly ducking out of the explosive conversation.

"Netto, he's not exactly a good navi-"

"Papa, you asked him to be our navi. Besides, he was helpful enough today."

"I asked him to be Saito's navi-"

"I don't want him."

"I refuse to bow to the whims of my eternal rival. Perhaps allying myself with his brother would allow me access to the secret of his power."

"Good luck!" Saito spat back, looking reading to fight right then and there.

A shrill whistle sounded in the room. Meiru removed her fingers from her mouth as everyone looked her way.

"Excuse me, we're here to visit with Saito. Perhaps this could wait until later?"

Dr HIkari's face went a little red in embarrassment as he made an excuse to duck into his cornered off office area.

"Meiru, this is kind of important-" Saito tried to explain.

"I don't see why? Forte's been well-behaved, if a little antisocial."

"It wouldn't be the first time we've hung out with someone who tried to kill us," Yaito added with a shrug.

Netto gave his brother a smug grin. He had won this fight.

* * *

The group weren't allowed to leave Dr Hikari's lab so they all sat on the ground, Netto sliding off the table to join them. Saito's tests were almost completed but the important ones were done so he could have some time with his friends. He lay back on the table and closed his eyes, Rockman appearing on the net a moment later.

"Hey everyone!" he greeted them again with a smile. This time he could move towards them without Papa telling him to stay still.

"Rock!" Roll gave him a tight hug and he greeted her in turn.

Forte brooded off at the side, hovering in the air and surrounded by his dark aura.

"It's good to see you on this side of the net," Glyde said in greeting.

"You're lucky I can manage it. Papa's had me jumping back and forth all day."

Zero nodded. He had been there for every test.

* * *

Saito was allowed back at school the next day. He was relieved since it was better than having tests run on him. Papa said that he was stable and the strain on his body was a normal amount as he went back and forth between Saito and Rockman. He actually compared the strain to being like if Saito joined the soccer team. As long as he didn't overdo it.

"You're still wearing the heart monitor bracelet?" Yaito questioned in surprise.

Saito nodded.

"Except now I help monitor it," Zero said. "An alert only gets sent if I fail to override it."

"You have to override it?"

"If we get into enough trouble that Zero can't take a few seconds to cancel the alert, then Papa figures he should know."

"Or if Rockman's getting himself in trouble and Zero thinks that Papa should know," Netto commented with a grin. "Meanwhile, Forte would never sell me out to Papa."

The navi in question snorted. He didn't counter Netto's words though.

"So you'll let him die if the alternative is telling Dr Hikari that his son is doing something stupid?" Zero questioned.

"Of course," Forte responded. "That's what Rockman's for."

Netto did a double take. Saito grinned.

"I'll gladly tell Papa everything."

The twins were fun to watch as Netto grabbed Saito and shook him, trying to get him to promise not to tell Papa anything.

"It's not like there's currently anything to tell, is there?" Yaito asked Meiru. If anyone knew what Netto was up to, it would be her.

"Nope. I think he's trying to get insurance for the future."

The bell rang that moment and they all quickly made for their seats, Saito included. Although, no one pointed out that his eyes closed a moment later as Rockman appeared in the net. He'd go back in time to respond to his name being called for attendance.

* * *

 **Notes:** I'm going to end this one here. I didn't manage to fit into the story how Forte knew about Saito and Rockman (it's because he was with Scilab when Rockman was created) but Forte's past is often left out of canon stories, with the except of bonus chapters.

I feel like I should revisit this idea again. I like the idea I've suddenly had of Dr Hikari finding out almost right away and things going a little differently. I don't know when I'll do it but the idea is there.

I've also going to give myself a little break (and maybe get a buffer going or something if I'm lucky). I won't be coming back with a new Megaman/Rockman story until May. Sorry, but I've been losing sleep to get this one done and I need a break in order to get my sleeping schedule under control.


End file.
